An Eye For An Eye
by nasiamarie88
Summary: Bella was just starting to get comfortable in her new life at Forks. Then she has a car accident, and everything changes. All original characters, no vampires but an interesting twist. R/R!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One – Picture Perfect**

**(TWILIGHT FANFIC. I OWN NONE OF THE CHARACTERS. )**

**The sun was up, but hidden behind layers of clouds full of rain just waiting to fall. It was just another day in Forks, Washington, home to the never-ending cycles of rain with little to no sunshine. Isabella Swan moaned groggily as the alarm clock in her room began to beep loudly. She knew she needed to get up and get ready for school, but she couldn't find the nerve to make the first move. **

**After about two seemingly endless minutes of relentless beeping, she moved her heavy arm to press snooze and sat up. Brown eyes blinked several times before coming into focus. She had only been here a few weeks, and still wasn't used to the lack of sun. Oh well, this was her choice. She stretched and crawled out of bed, heading for her small closet and grabbing a pair of jeans and a random shirt. She pulled on socks and tennis shoes, then a hoody. After a seconds glance in the mirror to make sure she didn't look too silly, she headed to the bathroom and brushed her tangled brown hair. **

**Her thoughts drifted to her mother, Renee and her boyfriend Phil. She wondered how they were. She hadn't heard from them in a few days. Heading back to her room she sat on the edge of her bed and flipped through a few pictures of her mom and herself with Phil. They were such a picture perfect couple. Not like her mom and her real father. Her real father, Charlie, was probably downstairs somewhere getting ready for work while her mom was working with Phil in Phoenix, Arizona. **

**Suddenly she smelled breakfast and smiled a little. Charlie wasn't the world's best cook, but he was trying for her. She rubbed her tired eyes and headed down the small staircase for the kitchen. "Mmm, what smells good?" she asked, then almost instantly regretted it. Charlie stood a little taller than her, with dark hair and an annoyed look in his brown eyes. They stared down at the skillet with pitch-black bacon still sizzling. Smoke filled the air, and she couldn't help but giggle lightly. **

**Charlie looked up quickly, a bit surprised to see her. A sheepish look crossed his face and he tossed the skillet, bacon and all, into the sink and sighed. "Sorry, Bells, I tried." She just laughed harder and crossed the room to hug him. **

"**It's ok Dad, I'll get something at school. Gotta go." She said, kissing his cheek. He just nodded and watched her walk out the door. Being chief of police and a father did nothing for his cooking skills. He should just listen to her and stop trying. Maybe, maybe not. **

**Bella jumped in her retro red old-time truck she received as a gift from her father and started the engine. The rain had begun to fall, which wasn't surprising. Flipping on the wipers and backing out carefully, she started her way to school. Her first week had gone by rather uneventfully. Nearly everyone there wanted to meet her and be her friend, but all she wanted to do was lay low. She wasn't the popular type, and she hated being the center of attention. But being new in a school as small as Forks' High made it next to impossible. **

**So far, she was doing fine in her classes. She had made a few friends, and most of the excitement of her arrival had died down, and for that she was thankful. She pulled into the parking lot and parked in a secluded spot away from the masses. She stepped out and slammed the door to make sure it stayed. Pulling her backpack on, she tucked her hair behind her ear and headed for first period. **

**Just before getting into the building, she felt a chill creep up her spine. Someone was watching her. She turned, scanning the nearly empty parking lot. There were a few people, none paying any attention to her at all. She spotted the Cullen's standing by a red convertible. They were an odd bunch. They were nice enough, but mostly stayed away from the others. She resembled them in that way. **

**Her mind was drawn away from them back to the eyes she felt on her. It was unnerving, to feel it and not know where it was coming from. Just when she was about to give up, she spotted something moving in the greenery just on the other side of the parking lot. She squinted, trying to get a better look, but whatever it was was gone. She blinked, and rubbed her eyes. She had to be seeing things. She thought it was someone with a camera. Who would be snapping pictures of her?**

"**Hey, whatcha doin'?" a voice came from behind her, causing her to jump and nearly scream. Her brown eyes quickly met the green eyes of Mike Newton, an overly fond newfound friend. She let out a sigh and smacked his arm roughly. He laughed and rubbed his arm. "Did I scare you?" he asked, still laughing. **

"**Little bit, you twit. You shouldn't sneak up on people like that." She said, allowing herself to laugh a little too. She tried to shake the uneasy feeling she had from spotting...whatever it was she saw. But she couldn't get rid of it. Mike seemed to catch on to it too. **

"**Hey, Bella, you okay?" he asked, putting an unwelcome hand on her shoulder. This didn't help the uneasiness. **

"**Yeah, I'm fine. You just startled me is all." Bella said, breathing deeply and letting it out. She glanced back to where she saw the thing, but there was still nothing. Mike followed her gaze and snickered lightly.**

"**Ohh, I get it...you were spying on the Cullen's." he said, and that thought threw Bella out of her reverie. She laughed and smacked him again, walking around him for the building. **

"**Yeah, that's it, you big goof." She laughed. Mike came up quickly behind her, laughing too. They walked to first period together, still giggling a bit as they entered the classroom. This earned Bella an instant glare from Jessica, Mike's not-so-secret admirer. Bella just averted her eyes to the floor and headed for her seat next to the quiet Edward Cullen. **

**She got herself settled, arranging her books on her side of the table. She pulled out a pen and paper meant for notes, but quickly drowned out the teacher thinking about the thing she saw earlier today. She couldn't shake the uneasiness and the feelings it gave her. She tried convincing herself that it was nothing; she was only thinking she felt eyes on her. She was crazy, she had to be. But no amount of convincing did her any good. She found herself doodling the greenery and the person she saw. **

**By the time she realized what she was doing, she was done, and the result surprised her. She was a better artist than she gave herself credit for. It was almost like she snapped a picture of it herself, without color. And it was a person with a camera. Bella blinked several times as she stared at her scary masterpiece. Who was that? Who was taking pictures of her? Why was this person following her? Questions flooded her mind, but it only took a single whisper to scatter her thoughts.**

"**Wow, that's pretty good." It took Bella a moment to realize it was Edward that whispered to her. He was normally so quiet, even around his family, so much so that she almost thought him mute. His voice completely threw her, and she met his gaze, startled. His topaz eyes looked startled themselves at seeing her expression. **

"**Y-Yeah, I guess." She answered belatedly after staring into his eyes for a moment. She quickly flipped the page over and hid it in her folder. Edward didn't miss the movement. **

"**I'm sorry, I didn't realize you didn't want me to see it. I won't look again." He spoke so softly she almost didn't hear him. She even wondered if he even spoke at all. **

"**No no, it's ok...I'm just..." she broke off, nervous. Her heart was racing, and she couldn't decide if it was the revelation that someone was following her or the pair of beautiful eyes now trained on her that was making her blood race. Thankfully, the bell rang at that instant, saving her from anymore questions about the little artwork of hers. She just flashed him a polite smile and was gone as soon as she could. **

**But unfortunately, fate wouldn't let her off so easily. Edward's light voice was right by her ear again. "Are you okay?" he asked. She was so startled that she dropped everything she was holding. Her face lit up bright red in embarrassment as she stared at her papers and books on the floor. Edward was just as startled at her reaction that he didn't move. She groaned and dropped to her knees to gather her things. **

**He followed suit and helped, and the task was done in just under a minute, with the help of a few friendly classmates. Bella stood, Edward handing her the last paper, which was coincidentally the artwork from this morning. He stared at it for a moment before Bella pulled it from his grasp, tucking it safely in her folder. "Thanks." She mumbled, stepping around him to head for her locker. Just as she opened it, he reappeared next to her. **

"**You never answered my question." He stated softly. Bella looked at him quickly, confused. He just shrugged and watched her with his topaz eyes, which looked worried. **

"**Bella, are you okay? You seem....scared." he said, watching her carefully as if gauging her reaction. She realized this and had to fool him. So she flashed the most genuine smile she could and shut her locker. **

"**I'm just peachy." She said, then scooted around him and headed for second period.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two – Just the Beginning**

**(TWILIGHT FANFIC. I OWN NONE OF THE CHARACTERS. )**

**The next week went by quickly for everyone else, but for Bella it was a different story. She couldn't stop thinking about the person she drew, or the feeling that she was still being watched. The feeling that had been her constant companion since that day, even when she was home. It was nerve-racking, and beginning to make her sick to her stomach. She hardly ate, because she had no appetite. But what was she gonna do? **

'**Hey Dad, I think I'm being followed.' She thought, wondering how that conversation would play out in her mind. He'd joke about it, she'd pretend to laugh...yeah, not so great. She had to figure out how to handle it herself. She woke up that morning, ready for the nausea, but it was gone. She looked around. She didn't feel watched anymore. This brought a smile to her face. **

**She went about getting ready in the normal fashion, closing the windows and the curtains. She wasn't about to get caught off guard, even if she did feel safe. After getting ready she came downstairs to see a note on the table. **

'**Had to go in early, will have to stay in late. Don't wait up. Charlie." Bella flipped it over and wrote four words for him. "I love you, Bella." She laid it back where it was and headed for school. Charlie was the Chief of Police in this small town, and as far as Bella could tell, he loved it. He didn't mind going in early or staying late, as long as it brought in the bad guys.**

**When she was about halfway to school, she caught the glimpse of a black truck behind her. It was big and new, and coming up behind her fast. Her heart began racing as she stared at her speedometer. She was going just a bit over the speed limit. Was the truck going to pass, or hit her? The truck came right up on her bumper, but slowed down. Bella let out a breath and laughed to herself. She must be going crazy.**

**Then she felt the truck behind her hit hers. It was only a tap, like a warning. She felt her chest pounding. What was she going to do? She sped up, trying to get away, but her old truck groaned in protest. "No, no, no, no!" Bella cried out, as the engine began to sputter. She hit the steering wheel, and froze when she realized the truck that hit her from behind was side by side next to her. The tinted windows made it impossible to see who was driving.**

**Then it hit her again. She turned the wheel to try and stay on the road, but it didn't do her any good, for the black truck swerved at her again, knocking her clear. She screamed and hit the brakes but hit the tree anyway. Her seatbelt kept her from flying free from the car, but the blow to the steering wheel knocked her unconscious nonetheless. **

"**What the hell?" Came the sing song voice of Rosalie Hale, the blond haired beauty that was one of the Cullen's. Rosalie and Jasper were adopted into the Cullen family, along with Edward, Alice and Emmett. They were all beautiful, but Rosalie was beyond compare. **

"**What is it Rose?" Alice asked. She wore her short black hair in a spiky fashion, and her pixie like face look worried. Rosalie pointed to the right of the road they were on, at the big red truck that was wrapped around a tree. Alice gasped and looked in the backseat at Jasper, Edward and Emmett. Jasper and Edward had semi long honey brown hair and Emmett's was short and black. Emmett was muscled like a bear while the others were smaller. All five shared the same topaz eyes. **

"**Isn't that the new girl's truck?" Emmett asked, looking around for confirmation. Edwards head jerked up, and looked out the window, eyes widening. Rosalie pulled in beside the truck and everyone got out. **

"**Someone call 911." Edward said quietly as he ran up beside the truck. Bella was indeed inside, unconscious against the steering wheel. He tried opening the door, but it was too smashed to open properly. So he gave it another tug, harder this time, and felt the whole door come free. He put the door on the ground and moved in closer. **

**He wasn't sure if any bones were broken, so he couldn't be sure if it was safe to move her. "Bella? Bella do you hear me? Bella, wake up." He said calmly, brushing her hair out of her face. Blood trickled from her forehead and Edward turned to Emmett, who was assessing the damage. **

"**This wasn't her fault." Alice said, looking at the truck. Every turned to look at her then. She pointed to the dents in the side of the truck. "I remember seeing her truck yesterday. Those weren't there." She said, and then turned around.**

**Rosalie hung up the phone and turned to Edward. "Ambulance should be here shortly. We need to get going." She said, pointedly showing her wristwatch. Edward shook his head. **

"**You guys go on. I'm staying to wait for the ambulance. I'll come to the school once I know Bella is alright." Jasper nodded and headed for the car, followed by Emmett, Rosalie and finally Alice. **

"**Be careful. Whoever did this to her might come back." She warned, then got in and sped off to school. Edward watched the little red car drive out of sight before turning around. He was taken by surprise to see Bella climbing out of the cab, stumbling when her feet hit dirt. Edward was over to her in a flash, catching her before she fully hit the ground. She gasped, half clinging half pushing him away. **

"**Bella? Bella it's me, Edward." He whispered softly, trying to soothe her fears. Her terrified brown eyes met his with recognition. **

"**E-Edward?" she asked weakly. He nodded and smiled down at her. Her eyes reflected the relief she felt, but she didn't speak another word. He set her down softly on the ground and she tried to stand up, but he wouldn't let her. **

"**An ambulance is on the way, Bella. You should stay still until then. We have no idea the extent of the injuries." He spoke calmly, topaz eyes on her. Upon hearing this, she immediately shook her head quickly and stood, both of which was a bad combination to the headache already forming from the blow to her head. But she ignored the pain and remained standing.**

"**No ambulance, Edward. I'm fine, really. Just a little headache." She laughed, forcing herself to laugh it off. But Edward didn't buy it, and shook his head. **

"**Bella, don't play this off. You are hurt, and the ambulance is already on the way." He said, staring into her brown eyes. She looked away immediately, unable to withstand the scrutiny. **

"**Edward, really. I'm fi-" She was cut off by the sirens in the distance, getting louder and fast. She groaned loudly and turned to Edward, who was standing just inches from her ready to catch her again should she fall. She caught her breath at his closeness, but didn't lose her train of thought. "I really hate hospitals." She whimpered softly. **

**He just smiled a wicked smile and leaned in close to her. "Don't worry, little Bella. I'll be right there the whole time. Nothing bad will happen, I promise." He whispered. She shivered and saw the ambulance just down the road. Another groan escaped her lips and she turned back to him. Turned a little too quickly, because the world began spinning out of control and then everything went black. **

**She didn't remember hitting the ground, or getting loaded into the ambulance. She did remember voices, whispering to her. Hostile voices. Voices she never wanted to hear again. They eventually died away and she felt like she was regaining consciousness. It didn't take long for her to realize she was still in the hospital. Perfect. She was hoping to be unconscious for the whole hospital experience. She never was on the lucky side, though.**

**She heard the singsong voice of the doctor obviously talking her dad, who sounded like a nervous wreck when he spoke. She never meant to scare him so badly. She wondered if Edward had kept his promise. Was he somewhere there too? She tried to speak, or open her eyes, but she couldn't. She then realized she couldn't move anything. Not a finger or toe. She tried screaming for help but that didn't come out either. **

"**CHARLIE?! EDWARD?! ANYONE THERE?!?!" She screamed, but nothing was audible. She was trapped in the black mass of her mind, able to hear the outside but not join it. **

"**Charlie." The simple word was enough for Bella to realize Alice was in the room. She sounded concerned, too. What was wrong with her? Was she in a coma or something? Why couldn't she talk?! Bella screamed, pounded her fists on the ground and curled into a ball. What could she do? What happened to her? **

**Suddenly she felt someone grab her left hand with big rough hands. "Bella? Bella, can you hear me?" Charlie's voice washed over her, and she felt a sense of relief. She obviously wasn't dead. And she could feel his hands! She tried moving her own, but judging by the lack of reaction in the room, nothing happened on the outside. **

"**DAMNIT!" Bella screamed, but nothing came out. She felt Charlie let her go and heard his footsteps as he left the room quickly. She felt tears streaming down her cheeks. Then another familiar voice broke into the darkness.**

"**Bella? Bella, you have to wake up soon. Charlie won't make it if you don't." Edward's voice was the miracle she needed. When he gently pulled her hand into his, it was like a jolt of electricity brought her mind back into contact with her body. All at once she could feel everything again. **

**She heard Alice's audible sigh. "She's back." She breathed quietly, obviously relieved. Bella couldn't believe it, she could move my toes. She was really back. **

"**I guess I'd better come back then," Bella coughed, frightened and relieved at how weak her voice sounded. "What would Forks do without the chief of police?" she joked quietly, opening my eyes. It took a few moments before the brightness died down, but she had never been so happy to see color. Edward was smiling. He bent down and kissed her forehead. **

"**You gave us a scare, little Bella." He whispered, then moved away to let Alice through. She came over and hugged Bella lightly so not to hurt her. **

"**What happened?" Bella croaked, and then rubbed her throat. Talk less, she decided. Her throat was so dry it almost hurt to breath.**

"**You passed out again. It was so soon after the concussion from the crash that we were sure we'd lost you. Good thing Carlisle is so skilled at his practice, otherwise you probably would be dead." Alice summarized, her topaz eyes watching Bella closely. She took it all in, remembering the crash and the truck. She balled her free hand and closed her eyes. **

**Why was this happening to her?! Her thoughts were interrupted by the singsong voice of the doctor again, who was now standing in the doorway. **

"**Bella, glad to see you awake." He said, moving closer. He had short blond hair that almost matched his pale skin. Bella saw the same topaz eyes and wondered if everyone had them and she just wasn't noticing. What was with those anyway? Bella just nodded and forced a smile as he drew closer with his medical supplies. She flinched and Edward chuckled quietly. **

"**Easy Carlisle, she's afraid of hospitals." He said quietly, trying to hide his amusement. Bella's cheeks went bright red and she shot Edward an angry glare. Carlisle just laughed. **

"**Let me just check your vitals, Bella, and I'll leave you alone. I promise." He said, smiling politely and waiting for her go ahead. He seemed trustworthy enough, so she nodded once and Edward scooted out of the way. Carlisle checked her pulse and pupils then seemed satisfied. **

"**Bella!" Charlie's voice interrupted whatever Carlisle had been about to say. He crossed the room and hugged her as tight as he could without hurting her. "Bella, I thought you were a goner." He said, not letting go. **

"**Hey, you couldn't get rid of me if you beat me with a stick." She joked, trying to lighten the mood. Charlie just squeezed and then drew away. **

"**Is she going to be okay, Dr. Cullen?" Charlie asked. Bella turned to stare at him. She shoulda known Carlisle was the 'father' of the Cullen's. The eyes were the first hint. But weren't they all adopted? How did they all have the same eyes if they weren't blood related?**

"**I think if she stays out of any trouble, she'll make a full recovery." He said, smiling down at her. She just smiled back and hugged Charlie. **

"**I hate to ruin the good moment, but I have to ask, Bella. What caused you to go toe to toe with a tree?" Alice asked slowly. Everyone's eyes were on her instantly, and she had a choice to make. Tell them the truth? Would they even believe her? She had no way of knowing. And if she told them, and got them involved, what would she do if one of them got hurt? No, she couldn't tell the truth. She needed something believable, and fast.**

"**Oh...yeah." Bella did her best to look sheepish. "There was some water on the road, and I lost control. Guess I thought I'd take the tree out with me. Never liked that tree anyway." She chuckled, looking down at her hands. She didn't see the look that Alice and Edward shared, the same one Carlisle caught, but Charlie was completely unaware. He laughed lightly and patted Bella's shoulder. **

"**Next time you don't like a tree honey, let me know and I'll have it chopped down. No sense in ruining a perfectly good truck. I'm just so glad you are alive, Bella. I don't know what I would've done if..." he broke off and hugged her again. **

"**I won't, Dad. Don't worry. I've learned my lesson." She said, and then looked over to Alice and Edward, who remained quiet. **

"**You must have hit that tree harder than we thought. Did you try to bail out before hitting the tree, Bella?" Charlie asked, serious again. He was trying to be a father and not a policeman, but Bella could tell it was hard for him. **

"**No, why do you ask?" She looked up at him inquisitively. He shrugged. **

"**Well, the door was ripped clean from the hinges. The only way I could figure it is if it was open on impact." He shrugged and looked out the window, lost in thought. Bella looked over to Edward, who was staring at the floor intensely. Alice was looking at him too. Something weird was going on.**

"**I dunno, Dad. The door doesn't shut all the way sometimes. It comes open on turns too. It's why I always wear my seatbelt." Charlie just nodded but remained quiet. Carlisle turned to leave, taking Alice with him. Edward remained for a bit longer, and then left as well. Charlie stayed all night.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three – Unexpected Surprise**

**(TWILIGHT FANFIC. I OWN NONE OF THE CHARACTERS. )**

**After just a few days, Bella was released from the hospital and told to be careful. She was lucky to have no broken bones or fractures. Edward offered to take her to school when Charlie couldn't, even though Bella wanted to walk. She liked the peacefulness of a walk, but neither of the boys would have it. She sighed and gave in reluctantly. The following week went by quickly, and it wasn't long before the car accident was a fading but not forgotten memory. **

**Bella came downstairs in a hurry after getting dressed, seeing the note her father had left her. 'Had to go in early. Already called Edward. See you tonight. Love, Dad.' Bella smiled inwardly. She liked it when Edward came to take her to school. She enjoyed their conversations. He was always so calm, so perfect. Bella was falling for him, despite her attempts not to.**

**She heard a car pull up into the driveway and grinned. Edward was here. She grabbed her things and checked the window, making sure it was him before she went outside. She tried not to smile when she saw the silver Volvo waiting. Locking the door behind her she headed for the car and got in. **

"**Hi there." Edward greeted, flashing a dazzling smile. She grinned and put her backpack at her feet. **

"**Hey. Thanks for the ride." She said, shuffling herself to get comfortable. He shrugged his shoulders and started driving towards school.**

"**Bella, you don't need to thank me every time I give you a ride. I like driving you to school. I like getting to know you better." He admitted, causing Bella to try and hide her pleased smile. They reached school all too quickly, going about the day in a normal fashion. Bella was glad to know she no longer had to answer incessant questions about the accident, no longer had to worry about giving too much away. **

**She needed to figure out who this person was. Who would be following her and trying to run her off the road? She didn't have any real enemies that she knew of. The only person she even thought would remotely hate her would be Jessica, and only because the silly girl thought she was after Mike. That query kept Bella up late at nights, wondering when, if ever, this person would try to strike again. Would he or she try to finish the job one day? **

**Another eventless week passed by, and Bella woke that morning feeling refreshed. She hadn't felt that good since the day she thought she was being followed. She got ready quickly, and ran downstairs, reading over Charlie's note. **

'**Call Edward, he didn't answer when I tried. Had to go in early, will be out late. Love you, Dad.' Bella flipped it and wrote her normal note to him, then grabbed the phone off the wall and dialed Edward's number, one that was burned into her brain. Three rings and he answered. **

'**Hello?' Edward's lovely voice answered, sounding frustrated.**

"**Hey Edward, it's Bella." She fumbled with the pen from the table, feeling kind of uneasy at his tone.**

'**Bella! Hi.' Though he was obviously trying to hide it, he did a horrible job. Something was wrong.**

"**Hey...everything okay?" Bella sat down, worried now. Edward was always so calm. It wasn't like him to be worked up about anything.**

'**I'm fine Bella. What's up?' She could hear him taking deliberate breaths. She wasn't convinced, but pressing the issue wouldn't help. She'd get the truth out of him in the car later. **

"**Charlie had to go in early. Can I hitch a ride from you?" She suddenly felt guilty for asking when he was obviously upset about something. She wished she could hang up and pretend she never called. **

'**Oh, yeah. Sure. I'm going to be a little bit late though Bella, I hope you don't mind.' He said, sounding a bit calmer. For a moment it almost sounded like seeing her made his frustration disappear. Then she threw out the thought. She couldn't get that lucky. She was lucky enough that he gave her rides to school without complaining.**

"**Edward, if you can't that's fine. I can walk, I wouldn—"But he wouldn't hear anything of it. **

'**Bella, no. I'll be there, just late. Don't you dare leave without me. Besides, I have something to ask you." He said, and without waiting for her response, Bella heard the click of him hanging up. She sighed, and then smiled. She was gonna see Edward this morning. And what could he possibly have to ask her that he couldn't ask over the phone? She stared at the phone for a few moments, and then decided to gather her things so when he arrived she'd be ready. **

**She was about to turn on TV to find something to watch when she heard a car pull into the driveway. She looked at the clock and frowned. He wasn't late, but early. She grinned, heading for the door. He must have wanted to surprise her for some reason. Maybe this had to do with the question he had to ask her. She flung open the front door and stepped out onto the porch. **

"**I thought you said you'd be late..." Bella froze as she looked up and saw a big black truck in her driveway instead of a little silver Volvo. She knew that truck... A big man stepped out of the tinted windowed door, slamming it shut, black eyes on her. Those eyes struck instant fear in her heart. She tried to force herself to move towards the door, scream, find a weapon, something. **

**But she couldn't move. She could only stare. Stare at the person who ran her off the road, who could have been the one following her. "W-Who're you?" she managed to choke out. **

**The man that stood before her cocked his head to the side, grinning maliciously. He was enjoying her fear. He had long blond hair tied behind him, pale skin and pitch black eyes. He wore a coat with no shirt and blue jeans. "We meet again, Bel-la." He enunciated her name for whatever reason, just causing her heart to pound harder. She had to move NOW, but she couldn't.**

**She finally got her feet to move her back towards the house just a step. But the man just smiled and followed suit, walking towards her slowly. "I have a message for Charlie, Bella. You are going to help me give it to him. It's from an old friend, Laurent." He said, and then started to run at her. **

**She swallowed a scream and turned, running into the house and slamming the front door behind her. She fumbled with the lock, trying desperately to get it locked before he got to it. But instead of trying to open the door, he dropkicked it. It flew directly into Bella, hitting her head hard and knocking her backwards. She hit the edge of the couch with a sickening crunch and collapsed to the floor.**

**She felt hot blood dripping down her face, and reached up to touch where the door hit her, wincing. The man stood over her now, grinning. "This is going to be easier than I thought." He reached down and grabbed a fistful of the front of her hoodie, jerking her to her feet. She groaned loudly and kicked him as hard as she could in the groin. He dropped her and fell to his knees, howling in anger. **

**She crawled towards the kitchen as fast as she could make herself, but she didn't get far before the man grabbed one of her ankles and dragged her back. She screamed and flipped herself on her back, kicking and struggling, hitting whatever she could with whatever she could. He growled after taking a few more blows before crawling on top of her and wrapping his hands around her throat.**

"**C'mon Belllllla. Don't make this harder than it has to be." He chuckled, and then applied pressure. She gasped and choked, trying desperately to breath. She needed to get this bastard off her. She focused all her energy on making her knee hit him in the small of the back as hard as she could. **

**He howled in pain and let go of her neck, catching himself before he face-planted into the floor. She used this opportunity to give him a good shove off and scoot away. She climbed to her feet and started looking around the kitchen for the knives. She would end this if she had to. She spotted one just across the kitchen and headed for it. She screamed when she felt the man's hand in her hair, yanking her back.**

**He turned her to face him and punched her in the face, hard. She hit the ground clutching her face, trying to ignore the pain her nose was bringing her. Bastard broke her nose! She turned to him, angry now. That was it, she was not about to let some punk beat her up like this! He glared at her, grinning despite himself. **

"**This'll be fun." He spit in her floor, smirking at her determination. "You think you can beat me?"**

**Bella wasn't sure of anything anymore. She sure as hell wasn't going to give up without a fight though! She grabbed the nearest thing she had, a plate. Good enough. She launched it at him, and then made a break for the knives. She just got her hand on it when she felt his hands on her again, so she closed her eyes, gritted her teeth and spun around, slicing at whatever she could. **

**She got his arm and chest, leaving deep gashes in both. He let loose a terrifying growl like an animal, and started literally shaking from the adrenaline. He was getting off on the pain! Bella stared at him horrified as the blood seeped from the gashes she'd made. He just laughed, loudly. **

"**Bella, Bella, Bella." He shook his head and cracked his neck, as if getting ready to get serious. Like he was just toying with her til now. She just gripped the bloody knife and glared at him. Where was Edward? Why couldn't Charlie be home? No one was coming for her. No one would save her. She either had to beat him, or run for it. Could she even outrun him if she tried?**

**She was lost in her thoughts when he made his move, lunging at her. She gasped and tried to out step him, but he moved too fast for her. He knocked her to the ground, wrestling the knife from her and slicing open her palm in the process. She screamed in pain, and then tried to punch him with her cut hand. She landed the blow, but it didn't even seem to faze him. He hit her hard with his fist, causing her to spin and hit the ground hard.**

**She lay completely still on her stomach, unsure if she was even strong enough to get up now. There was no beating him, he was way too strong. She was going to have to run. But first she had to figure out how to keep him from following. **

**He flipped her on her back and got on top of her again, pressing the knife to her throat. "Little Bella...too bad Daddy won't ever get to see you again..." he taunted, brushing blood soaked hair from her face. She bit his hand as hard as she could, causing him to howl out in pain. **

**He flung out a string of curse words as he used the knife to exact payback by cutting a gash in her shoulder. She screamed and started struggling, actually managing to catch him off-guard with her ferocity. He fell off to the side and she climbed to her feet using the counter to help. **

**But just as she did, he turned her around and hit her a few more times with his fist. She fumbled her hand around and got a hold of the handle of a frying pan. Gripping it and swinging with everything she had, she hit him in the side of the head. He groaned and stumbled into the counter, hitting his head a second time and collapsing to the ground. **

**She stood completely still, unsure if what just happened was even real. Was he really out cold? Just for good measure, she whacked him a few more times in the head with the pan before stopping. He was either dead or not getting up anytime soon. But as badly beaten as she was, she wasn't taking any chances. She had to get out of here before he came to and finished the job. **

**Dropping the frying pan to the floor she took off running out the door and down the street. If she could, she was going to make it to the police station. It was all the way across town, but she had to try. Anywhere was better than back at the house. She needed Charlie. He would know what to do. After all, this person was after her as a message to Charlie. **

**She ran as fast as she could, which wasn't very fast, considering. Every part of her ached and she was bleeding from several different places. She was starting to feel dizzy; the adrenaline of the whole ordeal was wearing off. She started limping, breathing heavily. She was sure she was about to pass out. She never heard the car pull up behind her and stop. The door slamming didn't even get her attention. **

"**Oh my god, Bella!" the voice behind her was getting closer and closer. No, no, no! Bella couldn't believe it. He was back, awake and after her again. She felt his hands grab her, and she fought with everything she had. **

"**NO!!!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, refusing to be taken back. She fought against the hands that turned her, causing both her and her attacker to hit the ground hard. The hands tried constricting her, pulling her closer. Surely he would finish her if she didn't get away. But the hands pulled her into a loving embrace instead of a deadly one. She opened her eyes and saw Edward's face. **

**In that very instant, it was gone. The fear, the pain, the dread. She was safe. "Edward..." she reached a bloody palm to touch him, to make sure he was real. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, pulling her up off the ground and into his arms. He carried her to the car and put her in the passenger seat. He closed the door and she suddenly felt her eyelids getting heavy. Everything was spinning, and she fought to stay awake. **

"**Where are we going?" she asked. She heard her words slurring, but couldn't help it. **

"**I'm taking you to the hospital, Bella, you are very badly injured." He replied, revving up the engine and racing down the road. He wasn't his calm self, even in her altered mental state she could tell he was very, very upset.**

"**Edward, are you okay?" she asked, trying hard not to slur. He laughed despite himself. **

"**Am I okay? Bella, you are....you look like..." he cut off, like he was even pained to go on," and you are worried about how I am?!" he laughed again, then shook his head. "I'll be fine once we get to the hospital."**

"**No. No 'spital. Harley. Ch...Charlie. I need to see Charlie." Bella whimpered, trying to get her point across. Whatever Edward's response was got lost in the black mass that enveloped and stole her consciousness.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four – Discovery**

**(TWILIGHT FANFIC. I OWN NONE OF THE CHARACTERS. )**

"**I want to press charges. I want that bastard to get the death penalty for what he did to Bella. Have you seen her yet, Adam?! She is my daughter!" Bella groaned, squirming in her slumber. The small hospital room was crowded with people, all who quieted the moment they heard her. Charlie's anxious eyes turned from the policeman to Carlisle, who stood beside Bella's bed.**

"**What's going on?" he asked quietly, staring down at the body of his daughter, beaten and bruised. Cuts lined the frail body, and bruises covered every inch of her. Carlisle turned to his old friend and bit his lip. Not a good sign.**

"**This doesn't look good. She dreaming, I think...but waking her wouldn't be a good idea. Let her rest..." he spoke quietly, looking down at the still squirming girl. She was whimpering now, which made everyone in the room wince. Whatever dream she was having, it wasn't a good one. Edward and Alice sat in chair along the wall, quiet. Edward's eyes never left Bella.**

**It was Adam who broke the silence. "Charlie, before we can do anything, we need for Bella to wake up. After getting a statement from her, then we can make our move. Call us when she is up and ready to talk." Charlie nodded and Adam left without another word. Charlie turned to Edward, who was waiting patiently.**

"**They a—" Charlie's statement was interrupted by Bella's blood-curdling scream. Everyone in the room jumped to their feet, all eyes on the now awake Bella, sitting up in her bed and breathing heavily. Her eyes darted around the room and she visibly calmed when she realized that the man was nowhere to be seen, and she was surrounded only by people she knew. **

**Edward was by her side instantly, pulling her hand into his. "Bella, he isn't here. You are safe." He said softly, topaz eyes worried. Bella nodded and saw Charlie as he approached, looking guilty. He obviously blamed himself for everything. **

"**Bella, you don't know how sorry I am....this is all my fault." He said, grabbing her other hand and kissing it. Bella shook her head weakly and squeezed his hand. **

"**No, Dad...you couldn't have known. It's not that bad anyway, so nothing to worry about." she whispered, trying to reassure him. Charlie nodded to please her, but she knew he didn't mean it. **

"**I dunno Bells, you are pretty beat up." Charlie murmured, looking away from her face. She shook her head.**

"**You should see the other guy." She joked, chuckling lightly then immediately regretting it. Her throat hurt so bad... **

**Edward laughed lightly. "We did Bella; you gave him a good beating. We're all very proud." He admitted, looking to Alice, who stood and walked over to the bedside. **

"**You must have put up a hell of a fight." She said, grinning. Bella laughed, and then froze. **

"**Wait...so you saw...you got him?" Bella asked, her heart caught in her throat. Was this whole nightmare over? Was she really safe?**

"**We got him. He's behind bars, and going to stay that way." Charlie said triumphantly. Bella let out a sigh of relief and smiled. **

"**Good." She breathed, closing her eyes for a moment.**

"**His name was James...does that ring any bells, Bella?" Edward asked cautiously. Bella thought for a moment then shook her head. **

"**No...Who was he?" she asked quietly, looking from Charlie to Edward, who were giving each other significant glances.**

"**We don't know. We have no idea why he came after you, Bella." Charlie said, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples. Obviously the whole ordeal had taken a lot out of him.**

"**Laurent. Does the name Laurent ring any bells from you, Dad?" Bella whispered, then looked to Edward, who was watching her curiously. **

"**Laurent? Yeah, I remember a Laurent. I arrested him a last year for murdering a policeman. He was put in prison. I haven't heard anything else from it. Why do you bring him up?" Charlie asked, looking down at his daughter. **

"**When James first attacked me, he said he had a message for you. A message from Laurent, and he was going to give it to you through me." Bella said, recalling the moment and shuddering. Alice put her hand on Bella's shoulder to comfort her. **

"**He can't hurt you anymore Bella. Even if he wasn't in jail, he wouldn't get through us." She said reassuringly. Bella nodded her thanks. Charlie kissed Bella on the forehead and left without another word. Carlisle, who'd remained silent during all of this, followed after Charlie.**

**Bella watched them go and looked up at Edward. "Where is he going?" she asked. Alice patted her head. **

"**I'll go find out." And in a flash, she raced out the door after them. Bella looked up at Edward, who was already watching her. **

"**You don't have to stay, Edward...I'm sure you have other things to do..." she said softly. She didn't even know him very well, only through the conversations during school rides. He still wasn't very talkative, he enjoyed listening to her speak. She didn't know him very well, but she felt connected to him. **

"**Nothing more important than this, Bella." He said calmly, squeezing the hand he'd never let go of slightly. She blushed and looked away. She looked out the window at the rain pouring down and just sat there in silence with Edward for a few minutes.**

"**Thank you." Bella said softly. Edward looked at her surprised for a moment before speaking. **

"**What for, Bella?" he asked quietly. She turned to meet his eyes with a grateful look.**

"**For saving me...and being there for me even though you don't know me..." she said, looking away quickly. Edward squeezed her hand and just smiled. **

"**Bella, you are very important to me." He practically whispered. He started to say something else, but stopped abruptly and let the silence engulf the room again. Bella could feel herself blushing, but there was nothing she could do about it. She turned back to Edward and smiled. **

"**Still...thanks." she said, meeting his topaz eyes. He reached out a hand and touched her face, then tucked her hair behind her ear. She winced when he touched one of the bruises and he quickly pulled his hand back.**

"**I only wish I could've been there sooner...so none of this would've happened..." he trailed off and made a fist with his free hand, breaking his gaze for the first time since she'd woken. Bella could tell he was beating himself up about it too. Just like Charlie. She hated to see them do that, blaming themselves for what wasn't their fault. **

"**You couldn't have known Edward..." She said, sitting upright. She turned to face him and put her hand on his cheek. "This isn't your fault."**

**He didn't say anything for a few moments, then met her gaze and sighed. "No, I didn't know...but if I had been there on time, maybe this would have all been avoided. Bella...you could've been killed!" he said, breaking away from her grip and walking to the window away from the bed. She sat there motionless, watching him.**

"**It's true. I could've been. If James would've had his way, I would be!" she exclaimed quietly, still watching his back. Oh how she wished he'd turn around and stop blaming himself. "But I'm not. And I have you to thank for that!" Her voice got very quiet, pleading with her eyes for him to turn around. After a few moments, he did. **

"**All I did was find you broken. Hardly enough for thanks." He said, shaking his head and staring at the floor.**

"**Maybe...but what if you didn't find me? What if James woke up and found me in the state you did? Then I would be dead. You saved me, Edward. You. I'm lucky to be alive because of **_**you**_**." She said, reaching out for his hand. She pulled him to her and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. "So thank you..." she mumbled.**

**Edward was surprised at her sudden show of affection, but didn't dare push her away. After a moment he wrapped his arms around her too, holding her as tight as he could without bringing her harm. "You're welcome." He whispered into her hair. He held her quietly for a few moments pulled away slightly to look at her. **

"**You should get some rest Bella, you need to heal." He said, and then kissed her forehead. Bella chuckled and fell back onto the bed exhaustedly. **

"**I am really tired." She mumbled, closing her eyes. Edward watched her as she drifted off to sleep. She really was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. After a moment's wrestle with his conscious, he decided that she should be safe long enough for him to track down Charlie and Alice and get the scoop on James and this Laurent. He leaned down kissed her cheek before heading for the door.**

"**Edward..." His name caught his attention and he turned back to face Bella. Her eyes were barely open, but she was watching him. **

"**I'll be right back, little Bella." He promised, smiling some. She shook her head quickly and reached out for him. **

**  
"Don't leave...stay with me..." she whispered. He watched her for a moment, not sure if she was sleeping or actually awake. He walked over to her and pulled her hand into his, kissing it. **

"**Ok. I'll stay." He whispered, moving a few strands of hair out of her face. She smiled and closed her eyes. Edward moved to sit in the chair beside the bed, but she pulled lightly on his hand, bringing him back to his feet. She continued pulling, motioning for him to lie down beside her. He wasn't sure it was the best idea, but the thought of holding her for any amount of time was very alluring. **

**So he crawled into the tiny bed with her, wrapping an arm around her neck as she snuggled into his chest. It wasn't long before she was sleeping soundly, Edward just watching her. He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't get attached. He was a danger to Bella, and everyone around them, but he couldn't help it....she was so beautiful. **

**He knew now, by looking down at her face, that no matter how far he ran or what he did, he was lost. He was deeply in love with the little creature in his arms, and there was no turning back. He could only hope she could come to love him the same.**

**Lost in his thoughts he never heard the footsteps approaching, so surprise hit him when he looked up and saw Alice and Charlie staring at him and Bella. He realized how this must look, and knew there was going to be no explaining it to Charlie. He quietly climbed out of the bed and walked over to them, motioning to take it outside. Once outside with the door closed, he cleared his throat.**

"**What did you find?" he asked, hoping to take their minds off of him and Bella. Charlie just stared at him for a moment then sighed, looking to Alice before speaking.**

"**Well, last year I was running my patrol, like usual, right? Well, I come up on a scene and see this skinny black person cornered by two policemen. I'm on my way over there to help when this black guy takes out both of the cops without breaking a sweat. So I park down the street, get my taser and head back. Now, this guy had only knocked the cops out, but apparently that wasn't good enough. **

"**I watched him kill one...a friend of mine...and he was about to kill the other when I made my move. The taser rendered him unconscious, and I locked him up. When the time came, I was the eyewitness that put him behind bars...About a month ago, a week before Laurent had planned to escape...he came up dead. No one knows how, or who did it." Charlie stopped, looking out the window. Alice put a hand on his shoulder then looked back at Edward.**

"**So we figure this James had to be a friend of Laurent's who blames Charlie for the whole thing. He was the arresting officer and eyewitness that put him behind bars for someone else to kill him. But instead of just killing Charlie as revenge, James wanted Charlie to lose someone close to him...Bella." Alice peeked inside the room, seeing Bella roll over. **

**Edward nodded, eyes on the floor as he went over the information in his head. "So the threat is over now? Bella will be safe?" he asked, looking back and forth from Charlie to Alice. **

"**Well, James is behind bars on no bail. Bella is safe now. And you should probably get back in there." Alice said, pointing back in the room. Bella was rolling back over, like she was having a bad dream.**

"**She doesn't seem to rest well unless you are around, Edward." Charlie murmured quietly. Edward nodded and went back in the room, sitting beside her bed. Almost instantly, Bella stopped moving and rested peacefully. Charlie shook his head, rubbing his temples. **

"**First she almost dies in an accident, then someone tries to kill her, and now she has a boyfriend." He sighed, then looked down the hallway. Alice just giggled. **

"**Don't worry Charlie. With Edward around, Bella is in good hands." She reassured, and then went into the room to talk to Edward. Charlie just watched quietly for a moment, assessing Edward in his own mind, then decided he'd better get to the station. Adam could wait until the morning to get a statement from Bella.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five – Flashbacks**

**(TWILIGHT FANFIC. I OWN NONE OF THE CHARACTERS. )**

"**I want to know!" Bella exclaimed, chasing Edward through her house. He just easily stayed out of her reach, laughing. Finally, he turned to face her, amusement lighting up his features. It'd been almost a week since the attack, a long one. Bella had taken it day by day, looking over her shoulder even though she knew James was still locked up. Trial was soon, and she wasn't looking forward to it.**

"**But, if I tell you then it won't be a secret, would it?" he asked, grinning. She just pouted and tried to hide her own enjoyment. **

"**But-"**

"**No buts. Just go get ready. The faster you get ready, the faster you find out what the surprise is." Edward pointed up the stairs, giving her a slight push. She pouted for a second longer then bolted to her room. He just chuckled and waited patiently. **

**She came down the stairs just a few moments later, looking pretty as usual. Edward tried not to stare too hard, but at times couldn't help himself. She never seemed to notice, or if she did, she didn't care. She just grinned at him like she was now. He held out an arm which she took without question. He led her out the door to the car. **

**She got in and buckled up, waiting for him to do the same. When he did, trying to sound as casual as possible she spoke. "So, where are we going again?" She looked out the window to try and hide her smile. He grinned, and then pretended to almost give it away. **

"**Surprise, remember?" he said, looking over to her. She just grinned and left it alone after that. It wasn't until they pulled into a driveway a few minutes later that she spoke. **

"**Now can you tell me?" she asked. Edward shook his head and drove all the way up the driveway until they reached a large house hidden completely by the forest. He stopped and turned off the car. She looked over at him quizzically, waiting for his answer. He just leaned in close and kissed her cheek then hopped out and walked around, opening her door and walking her onto the porch. **

"**Welcome to my home." He said with a sly smile. She gasped, freezing to her spot. **

"**Y-Your house?" she stuttered, still staring up at the most beautiful house she'd ever seen. His whole family would be in there. The most secluded family in probably the whole US, not to mention filled with people that all disliked her, and here she was to crash the party. This was a disaster. **

"**The whole family is in there?" she asked, trying not to go completely white. Edward just stood next to her, an arm holding her still. **

"**Uhm yes...Bella, are you okay?" he asked. She just sucked it in and nodded. There was no turning back. Edward had brought her here, she might as well try to not ruin the whole evening. She stepped through the door and he followed close behind, and then pointed her toward the kitchen.**

**The Cullen's, from Bella's observation, had never been the fun-loving kind. They were always tense, looking over their shoulders. Afraid, even. But the scene Bella walked into surprised her so much she froze instantly, so fast that Edward walked right into her. **

**Emmett and Carlisle were on one side of the island in the middle of the humongous kitchen. Rosalie stood beside an older lady with red hair, all hunkered down like they were hiding. Every one of them were laughing, and having the time of their life having a food fight while trying to cook dinner. Bella giggled, and Edward cleared his throat. **

**Everyone froze, all turning to stare at Bella. All topaz eyes, even the red-headed one. Bella gulped, suddenly nervous. The warm, friendly atmosphere she had walked into was gone. **

**While Carlisle and the red-headed woman were looking at Bella with warm smiles, Rosalie glared coldly. It didn't take a rocket scientist to point out that Rosalie had a very big problem with Bella's being here. Emmett just stood with his arms crossed, looking at Edward and shaking his head. Bella took in a deep breath, and forced a smile and a slight wave.**

"**You must be Bella. Welcome to our home." The red-headed one said with a smile, walking forward to hug her. Bella hugged back, trying to avoid Rosalie's glare or Emmett's disappointed face. Edward smiled. **

"**Bella, this is my mother Esme. You know Carlisle, Rosalie, and Emmett." He introduced. Bella smiled and waved at everyone, even the siblings. Esme turned back to the island and began chopping up some carrots. **

"**You like Italian, don't you Bella?" she asked, turning to look at her. Bella nodded and smiled, taking a small step back, closer to Edward. She felt very out of place, very uncomfortable. The closer she was to Edward, the less awkward she felt. **

**Rosalie, still seething, turned on her heel without another word and stormed out of the room. Bella froze, staring after the beautiful blonde. Yes, she felt very out of place. She wished like hell she was elsewhere, not making trouble. Edward put his hands on her shoulders and tried to calm her. **

"**Just ignore her. I do." He whispered. Easy for you to say, Bella thought, but remained quiet. Emmett closed his eyes for a split-second, and then sighed. **

"**I'll go after her." He said, and then took off quickly. Tension filled the large room, and Bella couldn't help but feel like it was her fault. But Esme was determined not to let the night be ruined. **

"**Bella, are you a very good cook?" she asked, smiling brightly. Bella shrugged and returned the smile, albeit forced. **

"**I'm not horrible." She replied. Esme smiled and held out a knife. **

"**Would you like to help us prepare dinner?" Esme asked kindly. Bella grinned and nodded. Cooking she was good at. Maybe it would take her mind off of feeling so unwelcome. Esme and Carlisle made small talk with Bella, trying to ease her tension. After a few minutes, Edward turned and went in search of Rosalie and Emmett.**

**When everything was ready to put in the oven, Bella sat in a stool and turned to Esme. "Umm, where is the bathroom?" she asked quietly. Esme pointed to the stairs. **

"**Up the stairs, first room on the right." She said, smiling. Bella nodded her thanks and hopped up the steps two at a time. This whole night was very surreal. She opened the door to the bathroom and stepped inside, closing the door. For the first time since she arrived, she could breathe. After a few deep breaths, she splashed cold water on her face and looked into the mirror, wincing.**

**Her face was still bruised, but healing slowly. She still looked horrible, but there wasn't much she could do. James was locked up, and with all likelihood, the most she would have was a few scars. She looked at her palm, still scabbed where he had cut her. Flashbacks hit her, and hit her hard, but she refused to break down. She was through it, and she just wanted to forget it all. **

**Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard yelling. She opened the bathroom door quickly, looking down the hall. The yelling was behind the door at the end, which was closed. But she could hear the conversation through the door. **

"**She is more than just a nobody, Rosalie. She is **_**important**_** to me." Edward's voice was strained and angry. She could almost imagine his angry face. She shouldn't be hearing this...she tried to go down the stairs, but couldn't make her feet move. **

"**No, Edward. She is just a **_**human**_**!" Rosalie exclaimed. Bella's eyebrows rose. What did that mean? If Bella was just a human...what were they? **

"**You don't understand, Rose." Edward sighed. Bella could imagine him rubbing his temples. **

"**No, Edward...**_**you**_** don't understand. She's not one of us!" Emmett bellowed angrily. Everything got very quiet and suddenly the door was yanked open and Edward walked out, head down. **

**He looked up and saw her standing there, eyes wide. What had she heard? Had she heard everything? Emmett bumped into him from behind and Rosalie sucked in a breath. All three were staring at Bella, none of them sure what to do.**

**There she was, staring into the eyes of three topaz eyed people, apparently not human. All of which had to have realized she overheard something. She had to do something. So far she had been watching Edward, who looked pained. Now her eyes were on Emmett. **

"**One of...**_**us**_**?" she asked, taking a step closer. She could feel them all tense up, looking at each other. Bella stopped just a foot away from Edward. She opened her mouth to think when Edward grabbed her wrist roughly. **

"**Not here, Bella." He said, starting to drag her away. This caught her by surprise and brought up horrid flashbacks of James' attack. She gasped and yanked her wrist out of his grip, stepping away. **

**She saw the realization hit him like a fist, then the regret. "Bella, I'm –" but she wasn't sticking around for it. She turned on her heel and ran down the stairs towards the door. Esme and Carlisle both watched as Bella ran full-speed through the kitchen. Esme tried calling out for her, but Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie were right on her tail. **

"**What is going on?!" Esme called out, horror-stricken as she looked to Carlisle who stood dumbfounded. Bella, however, bypassed Edward's car and took off running into the darkness that was the forest. She had no idea where she was going, how far it was until the end of the forest, or why she was really even running in the first place. **

**It was the memory of James' attack in Edward's inhuman grip that sent her into such an emotional tailspin. She was running from that memory, through thick bushes and trees in complete darkness. She could hear her name being called out, over and over by many different voices. The many voices of James...she rationalized. **

**She could feel the hotness of the tears streaming down her cheeks. He wouldn't get her again. She was faster...she would make herself faster. She focused on running, and avoiding tree limbs. She fell more than a few times, nearly spraining her ankle twice. She could still hear him calling out for her...taunting her. **

**She heard engines starting. Not good. She just kept running as fast as she could, finally reaching a road. She took off sprinting towards what she thought would be the way to Forks. She realized she couldn't hear him yelling anymore. Was she safe? She stopped, looking around. The darkness spread everywhere. She realized how alone she was. **

**Suddenly the whole world lit up as headlights started down the road. This threw Bella into a sprint. She wouldn't stop for anything. The car got closer and closer, and she turned to see if it was stopping. It didn't. It kept going, and disappeared around a row of trees. She let out a sigh of relief, and then nearly screamed when she saw it coming back. It swerved to a stop in front of her, both doors opening. **

**No...He brought someone else. He brought someone else! She froze, the headlights behind James and his accomplice hindering any recognition. She had to get away. Without another thought, she took off back into the trees. "Bella?!" the voices called after her. She refused to be tricked. **

**She caught her balance after tripping and slammed headfirst into a very hard body. Arms grabbed her as they both went down and she screamed. "No!" she struggled with everything she had, fighting to get away. The arms were like iron vices, and no matter how she struggled she couldn't get free. **

"**Bella calm down!" James exclaimed. But she wasn't going to. She wasn't going to calm down while he tried to kill her. Never! But the grip was so tight it was getting hard to breathe. Somehow she knew she was caught, no matter how hard she fought.**

**Tears ran anew, as she realized this. James would likely want to exact revenge on her before killing her...No. She wouldn't give in. With all she could muster, she hit James in the jaw with her elbow. He growled in pain, but tightened his hold on her. She kicked and screamed and squirmed, but nothing made him loosen his hold. **

"**Bella?" another voice...a girl's voice...And she sounded familiar. Bella stopped fighting, trying to figure out who it was. Then she saw her come into view, staring surprised at her and her assailant on the ground. **

"**God, she hits like a tank!" the man grunted, still not letting her go. He didn't sound like James...Bella stared at the girl for a moment before realizing who she was. **

"**Alice?" she asked. Alice ran over to her, bending over to grab her shoulder. **

"**Jasper, let her go." Alice said quietly. Instantly, the hold was released and the man rolled away from her. Bella turned to see that it was Jasper, and not James, that had been holding her down. She just stared at him incredulously as he rubbed his jaw. **

"**Jasper..." Bella whispered. Alice helped her to her feet and she stood completely still, staring into the darkness, lost in her thoughts. Where was she? How did she get here again? She remembered being at Edward's house...the conversation...**

"**What happened, Bella? I thought you were supposed to be at home?" Alice asked softly. She could tell that something was going on in Bella's head, just by looking at her. She looked lost, and afraid. "Where's Edward?" she asked.**

**Bella nearly jumped at his name. "Edward." She repeated. Alice looked to Jasper, who stared at her, baffled. He was just as confused as she was. What the hell was going on? Why was Bella running down the road, alone and crying? Why had she fought Jasper so hard? Why did she look like she just woke form a bad dream?**

**Crunching tree limbs startled Bella, who stared into the darkness terrified. Jasper moved stealthily around behind her, ready to grab her again if she tried to run. The crunching got closer and fast...Bella felt new tears streaming down her cheeks. "No...Not James again..." she whimpered, and then passed out cold. **

**Jasper grabbed her before she hit the dirt, and looked up at Alice. Her wide eyes were wary. Was James really on the loose again? Was that who she was running from? She turned to face the approaching people, hearing them getting louder and louder. If it was really him, he was in for a surprise if he thought he was getting Bella.**

**But Edward came into view a few seconds later, running full speed with Emmett and Rosalie on his tail. He froze when he saw Bella unconscious in Jasper's arms. "What happened?" he demanded, looking at Alice. **

"**You tell me, Edward! She was running down the road, terrified and alone. When we stopped, she ran from us like we were the Devil himself! She even hit Jasper right in the jaw! What in the world is going on?!" Alice exclaimed, pointing to Bella then Jasper. Jasper nodded quickly. **

"**The girl packs a punch for one so small." He said motioning to the girl in his arms. Edward shook his head.**

"**I don't know what happened....she ran from me like a bat out of hell at the house. We've been looking for her since she took off." Edward explained, staring at the ground. None of this made sense. **

"**She took off when you grabbed her, Edward. You should have seen the look in her face." Emmett spoke up, looking at Edward. He turned, and remembered the look on her face. **

"**I bet some of the memories of James' attack are still fresh. Grabbing her probably brought them back..." Rosalie said quietly. Edward nodded. That had to be the only explanation. Alice and Jasper looked at each other quickly, remembering what Bella said right before passing out cold. **

"**Just before she passed out...she said, 'Not James again.'" Alice said. Everyone got quiet for a few moments, trying to decide what to do. **

"**C'mon. Let's take her to Carlisle. Maybe he can explain to us what is going on. Besides...him and Esme are probably worried sick." Edward said, taking her unconscious body from Jasper. **

"**I'll drive." Alice offered.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six – Up in Smoke**

**(TWILIGHT FANFIC. I OWN NONE OF THE CHARACTERS. )**

**Edward had been watching Bella closely from her bedside, worried. It'd been hours since she'd passed out. Carlisle had told him it sounded like post-traumatic stress disorder. Damn James for hurting his Bella so badly. She was still thrashing in her sleep, making Edward uncomfortable. He needed something to drink. **

**He met Alice on the stairs. "How is she?" Alice asked. Edward shook his head in dismay. **

"**She's still sleeping...but Carlisle says she's in a rare mental state. Grabbing her wrist triggered a reaction." He looked down guiltily, but Alice touched his shoulder. **

"**You couldn't have known Edward. This isn't your fault." She reassured, but he just shrugged, unconvinced. Alice went still for a moment then smiled. "She's up. You should go to her." She whispered. Edward was gone instantly.**

**It didn't take him but half a second to get back in the room. Bella looked up at him, her cheeks bright red. She apparently remembered everything...and was very embarrassed. **

"**I am...so sorry." She started, but Edward quickly shook his head and moved closer to her, pulling her into his arms and hugging her tightly. **

"**No one blames you for this Bella. We understand what happened." He whispered into her hair, but she shook her head. **

"**No...This is so embarrassing. I almost wish I would've let James kill me when he had the chance..."Bella sighed, looking down at her hands, refusing to meet Edward's eyes. Edward stared at her, shell shocked. **

"**No...Bella don't ever say that! Anyone ever tries to kill you, you try to kill them right back!" he said incredulously. How could she even think about dying on him now? He'd only known her for weeks, but the thought of Bella **_**not**_** being in his life was more than horrifying.**

**She stared up at the ceiling, trying to will away the tears welling up in her eyes. She was so embarrassed by her actions the night before...there was no way she could face the Cullen's now. She just couldn't. She did wish she was dead...but she wouldn't wish to be away from Edward.**

**He put both hands on her cheeks, and lifted her face until she looked up at him. "Don't ever...want to die. You have to stay...with me. Here. Please promise me." He begged, his topaz eyes more than convincing for her. She forced a smile. **

"**Okay." She said. He leaned in close and kissed her forehead. She shivered at his touch, but didn't speak. **

"**That's more like it." He said, grinning. She couldn't help but smile as well. Then...she remembered something. Something she needed to ask him about. **

"**Edward...what did Emmett mean...? I overhead you guys talking...and he said that I wasn't one of you. I need to know what he meant." She said, keeping her voice low. She knew this wasn't any of her business...but she had to know. She felt him go deathly still, not meeting her eyes. Whatever it was...it was a big secret.**

**He gulped. How could he tell her? He wanted so bad to tell her the truth...tell her who he really was...where he came from. But he couldn't. He couldn't jeopardize the safety of his family...the safety of the Cullen's. No one was ever to know the secret. Ever. But what **_**was**_** he going to tell her? **

**Thankfully at that moment, Alice came bursting through the door, Charlie on her heels. Bella let out a sigh and blushed again. Obviously Charlie had been told...**

"**Bella...are you okay?" he asked. She nodded quickly. He hugged her and she looked sheepishly at Alice and Edward.**

"**Dad...it wasn't anyone's fault. I ju—"Charlie cut Bella off midsentence with an angry holler.**

"**No Bella...someone is to blame here. And it's that son of a bitch James. He is going to jail for a long time....I'll see to that." Charlie yelled, seconds away from punching something. **

"**Dad, calm down. It's over now...can we just forget it?" She asked, moving to get out of the bed. Edward assisted, bringing her to her feet and staying close should she stumble. **

"**I'm not sure I could ever forget getting that call Bella...or seeing your face after." He broke off and went still. Bella nodded and hugged him. **

"**It's ok Dad. I'm alive and alright. Let's just be thankful for that." She said, and forced a smile. Charlie, Edward and Alice all exchanged glances and Charlie nodded. **

"**Yeah. C'mon Bells, let's get you home. You okay to walk?" he asked. She nodded and grabbed her shoes. **

"**Tell everyone bye...and I'm sorry." Bella said to Edward and Alice. They both nodded and followed Charlie and Bella to the front door. **

"**Don't worry about anything here Bella. Just go home and rest and try to put it all behind you." Edward insisted. Bella nodded and half-waved then hopped into Charlie's police cruiser and let out a sigh. Charlie got in and they buckled up. He pulled out of the drive and brought her home. They didn't speak, and an awkward silence it was. **

**They reached the house and Bella muttered a goodnight and went straight to bed. She was so exhausted, and she didn't know if she could take much more embarrassment. The moment her head hit the pillow she was out. **

**Next thing she knew, she was back at Edward's house, sitting with him on his bed. "Bella, there has been something I have been wanting to do for awhile now...pretty much since I met you." He whispered softly, as if hoping she would allow it. Bella had a notion of what it might be, and if she was right, no way in hell was she going to stop him. **

**But she put on a nonchalant face and asked. "What is it?"**

**He smiled her favorite smile, then leaned in and kissed her lips slowly. She immediately responded, trying not to push too far but nearly unable to help herself. She'd been silently pleading him to kiss her for awhile now, and it had taken him long enough to get the nerve to actually do it.**

**They got lost in the kissing, leaning back onto the bed and wrapped in each other's arms. They only broke when they heard screaming. Bella gasped and looked towards the door, then back at Edward. "What was that?" She asked. **

**But she didn't get a reply. Edward was up and heading downstairs to investigate. He ordered her to stay put, but she refused, chasing after him. When she hit the bottom of the stairs, she ran into Edward's back. "What the?" When her brown eyes looked around him to investigate, the scene made her scream aloud.**

**The bodies of the rest of the Cullen's lay in a bloody heap, all topaz eyes on her. She screamed again...staring at the one standing just on the other side. James and his black eyes were watching, a sadistic grin on his face. Edward stood completely still, just staring into the eyes of his family. **

**James started around the bodies, headed for her. She gasped, moving to hide behind Edward. But he abandoned her, running right past James like he didn't exist and headed for his family. Bella gasped and stepped back away from James, but tripped. She fell into a mirror and the glass cut her arm wide open. **

**Blood stained the carpet and he grinned even wider. Just as he reached her, she woke with a scream. She was covered in sweat, and her breathing hard and erratic. Her room seemed extra-dark tonight, but unbearably hot. Why did Charlie turn the heat up so high? **

**Her stomach churned like there was something bad wrong, but she dismissed it. It was probably just nerves from the nightmare she'd just awoken from. She climbed out of bed and stood frozen. Her feet didn't hit the regularly cold floor. In fact...it was hot. Very hot. **

**Her eyes narrowed on her feet, and then she snatched up her phone from her nightstand and checked the time. 2:04 AM. Charlie'd be home by now. She set the phone back down and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She didn't know what she would tell him, but she just needed to be with someone right now. She headed out the door and started down the stairs when the sight that she saw made her suck in a breath. **

**Flames engulfed her entire house, uncomfortably close to the bottom of the stairs. "CHARLIE?!?!?!" She screamed, wondering where he was. Surely he wasn't sleeping through this?! What if he was dead?! The thought made her burst into instant tears when she didn't receive a reply.**

**She ran back up the stairs into her room and snatched up her phone once more. Her first thought was to call Edward. She dialed his number and ran to the window as she waited for him to pick up. She looked out the window. It was too high to jump without breaking something...and she needed to check downstairs for Charlie. The phone rang and rang and finally hit voicemail. She slammed it shut and sat on the bed, trying to decide what to do next.**

"**Damnit Edward..." She cursed under her breath. She thought over her options. She needed to get downstairs and try and find Charlie. Where was he?! She took in a deep breath and ran back down the stairs, heading for Charlie's room. It was vacant. What the? Where was he? She called out for him again, but still didn't receive a reply. She turned and headed for the front door to safety.**

**Just as she reached it, she heard Charlie's voice calling out to her. From upstairs. From her room. He'd come to save her, and she was down here! "DAD!!!" She screamed, bolting back up the stairs to her room. As she did, she narrowly missed the ceiling caving in, blocking the stairs. She stared at the flames for a long second. She was trapped.**

**She turned and ran into her vacant room. Where was Charlie? She knew she heard him! She called out for him...but got nothing. This wasn't right. Something was going on. She sat on the bed, tears streaming down her cheeks. This was too much. She was going to die now. She had no way out...and no ideas. Charlie wasn't answering probably already dead. Edward was sleeping...Oh god...**

**She never got a chance to say goodbye to anyone. Not her mom, not Phil. Not ever Charlie or Edward...This couldn't have ended worse. She wiped away the tears, but it didn't help. She was face-to-face with her own death...and it wasn't pretty. Almost as if on cue, her phone rang, making her heart jump. She flipped it open. Edward. She had never been to happy and so scared in her life.**

**She answered the phone crying and hysterical. "Edward...oh god. I don't know what to do!!" She cried, trying to compose herself, but finding it next to impossible. There was a moment of silence before he spoke.**

"**Wait...Bella? Bella, slow down. What's going on?" Emmett's voice answered, alarmed. Bella froze. Where was Edward? Why did Emmett have his phone? **

"**E-Emmett? Where is Edward?!" She demanded a little too angrily. Her surprise caught her off guard, and for a moment she forgot all about the fire outside her door. She needed to know Edward was alright. **

"**He's at the station with Charlie still. They got a call—"Emmett tried to explain, but Bella interrupted him. **

"**Wait...what?! Charlie? Edward...?! They are at the station? The police station?!" She asked, thanking her lucky stars. They were okay. Charlie was alive. He wasn't downstairs burning in the...the fire! She turned, seeing the flames licking at her ceiling through the hole that used to be her door. **

**She screamed and moved away quickly before a piece of debris hit her. She heard mumbling on the floor and grabbed the phone she didn't remember dropping. She brought it to her ear just in enough time to hear," Bella?! BELLA ANSWER ME."**

"**Emmett...I don't know what to do! My house is on fire and I am trapped upstairs in my room! I can't get out!" She cried, tears forming anew. Emmett was quick to realize she wasn't joking. **

"**Bella, stay put. I'm coming. Don't die on me." Was all he said then the line went dead. She held the phone to her chest, but knew there was no way Emmett could make it from their house to hers in time. And even if they did, there was nothing he could do to help her. It was up to her to save herself. S**

**he ran to the window and looked down. If she jumped, she'd for sure break something. Then again...compared to death, broken bones weren't too bad. But she had a better idea. She'd tied her bed sheet to something and climb down far enough to land without breaking anything. Yeah, that had to work.**

**She turned and grabbed her bed sheet, ripping it from the bed without getting too close to the fire. She turned back to the window, but screamed when she saw the big shadow blocking her. "Easy, Bella calm down. It's me." Emmett said, grabbing her shoulders. She gasped and burst into tears once more. **

"**How did you get here so fast?!" She exclaimed, trying to force away the tears. He shrugged off her question and pulled her to the window. **

"**C'mon, we gotta get you outta here." He said, scooping her up and jumping out the window. She screamed for him to stop, that he was going to hurt himself, but he ignored her. They hit the ground and he put her down on her feet. Her knees buckled and she hit the ground with a thud, too weak to even stand. Small hands were on her shoulders instantly. **

"**Bella? Bella are you alright?" Alice's high pitched voice asked. Bella looked up and saw Alice, along with Rosalie and Jasper. Emmett patted her back. **

"**Edward would never forgive me if I let you die, Bella." He said, looking to Jasper. Jasper nodded and looked up at the burning house. Bella nodded and tried to speak, but it came out a jumbled mess. **

"**I think that means thank you, Emmett." Alice said, laughing and hugging Bella tightly. "You are going to be okay honey...don't you worry." She assured her. Bella just looked up at Emmett, still unable to understand how a man, even one as big as him, could grab her like she was nothing, jump out a second story window and not get hurt. Something was going on.**

**Jasper grabbed Emmett's arm. "We should go find Edward and Charlie. They should know what happened." He said. Emmett nodded and they took off. Alice knelt by Bella, petting her and trying to console her. Rosalie just glared quietly until she couldn't take it anymore. **

"**Alice. I need to talk to you." She hissed, and then walked away from Bella out to the street. Alice nodded and once they were out of earshot, Rosalie put a hand on her hip and used the other to point at Bella's sobbing mess on the ground. **

"**WHY did we even save her?! If Emmett had just hung up the phone like I told him, she'd be dead and we wouldn't have to worry about exposure any more! We wouldn't have to be worrying about the family's safety. We'd be SAFE." She hissed, her anger evident. Alice just stared at her, shell-shocked. **

"**Rose, how could you even think that?! That is a new low, even for you. Bella is everything to Edward?! Could you just crush him like that? Could you?" Alice argued, pointing at Bella also. Rosalie sighed. She knew Alice was right...but letting Bella die would've fixed everything. **

"**Yeah, Bella dying would save us a lot of trouble. But it would be the WRONG thing to do, Rose." Alice said, looking back at Bella sadly. She felt so sorry for her, and everything she'd been through in the last month. Just as she stood there, she saw part of the house coming loose. **

"**Bella!" Alice screamed, seeing the debris falling. It was going to crush Bella!! Bella looked up, but couldn't force herself to move. She was saying her last wish when she felt a pair of hands grabs her and lift her into the air. Suddenly she was out of the way and the debris hit the ground...but she wasn't anywhere near it. **

**She was over by the street again...where Alice was. And Rosalie, who weighed a lot less than Bella, was holding her up in the air without breaking a sweat. Alice just stared on incredulously. How did Rose get to her so fast? She was all the way over here. How did she get back? How was she holding Bella like a baby that weighed no more than a stick?**

**She tried to put her questions into words...but all she could choke out was a meek thank you. Rose nodded and put her on the ground without another word. Alice stood completely still, shocked. And amongst all the commotion, no one noticed the neighbor videotaping the whole thing from his window across the street.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven – Accomplice**

**(TWILIGHT FANFIC. I OWN NONE OF THE CHARACTERS. )**

**Edward and Charlie arrived on the scene about an hour later to see the firemen dousing what remained of the house. People from all over the neighborhood had gathered, including some of the natives from a nearby reservation called La Push. Alice, Rosalie and Bella were all near an ambulance, Bella sitting inside and the others around her. She was wrapped up in a blanket and staring at the ground. Alice and Rosalie were talking quietly to each other.**

**Charlie stared at the scene for a long moment. Then he spoke gruffly. "Edward, why don't you go find out how Bella's doing? I'm going to find out what the hell happened here." He muttered angrily, then got out. Edward had no problems with that, running over to Bella. **

**The moment she saw him she dropped the blanket and hopped out of the ambulance, running to him. He caught her in his arms and held her close, burying his face in her hair. "Bella, are you okay?" he asked softly. He felt her nod and she clung to him for dear life. **

"**I am now." She said simply, then closed her eyes and tried to will away all the bad. She was with Edward now, and she would be okay. Edward looked up to Alice and Rose and mouthed a thank you. They both nodded and turned back to each other, finishing their discussion. **

**After a few moments of just standing there holding each other, Edward pulled away slightly. "Bella...tell me what happened." He said softly. She nodded and looked at the house before looking at him again. **

"**Well...I woke up and noticed it was hot. I thought Charlie had just turned up the heat, so I went downstairs to check and saw the fire. I tried to find Charlie, because I didn't think he'd still be at the station at 2 AM. Then I heard him calling for me upstairs and I went back up to investigate. He wasn't there.**** So I called your phone, and you didn't answer. Emmett called me back and told me you were at the station with Charlie and said he was on his way. I don't know how in the world he got to my house so fast...Edward. Even driving those fast cars of yours...he couldn't have made it there that fast. He was in my room in seconds." She trailed off, forgetting her story. **

**Edward just smiled calmly, smoothing down her hair. "He must've been close by, Bella." He said. She looked up at him for a minute, and then nodded. He hated to have to lie to her, but there was no way she could know the truth. It would only put her life in jeopardy. **

**But even if Emmett **_**had**_** been close by, how did he climb up to her window so fast without her hearing him? How did he jump holding her and **_**not**_** break any bones? Bella's head was so full of questions, but Charlie's approach made her forget them. **

**She left Edward's arms and hugged Charlie tight. He chuckled and hugged her back, then went serious. "Johnny here says this is definitely arson." He started, looking down at Bella, whose eyes were wide. She moved back to Edward, who wrapped his arms around her protectively. **

"**And...There was someone else in the house with you Bella." Charlie added. Bella went completely white then. **

"**Someone...else? I thought James was behind bars!" she exclaimed, trying to keep herself calm. Edward standing there helped.**

"**He is, Bella. That's why we are going to find out who did them, and put them right there beside James. Turns out...he knows something. He spent the whole night laughing aloud. Guards told me he had them freaked out." Charlie went on. Bella remained silent, going over everything in her head. Someone else? Maybe that someone was the one who mimicked Charlie's voice up in her room.**

**She opened her mouth to speak, but shut it quickly when Johnny, Head of the Fire Department came over. He looked at Charlie, and then held up a red gas can. "I have good news for you, old friend. This here's got prints. A neighbor said they saw someone throw it in their trash can just after Bella was rescued." He said. Charlie nodded and headed for his police cruiser with Johnny and the gas can in tow. Just before he got in, he looked back to Edward and Bella. **

"**Bella...do you have someone you can stay with tonight? I'm going to find out who did this and put them behind bars." He asked, looking at Edward. Edward nodded. **

"**She can stay with me. She'll be safe with us." He said. Bella let out a sigh of relief. She didn't want to stay with anyone **_**but**_** the Cullen's. Charlie nodded and closed the door, driving off. Edward looked down at Bella. **

"**Is that okay with you?" he asked softly. She nodded and he led her towards his car. Once she was inside, he went over to Alice and Rosalie, and spoke to them. They both nodded and all three came back to the car. Alice and Rosalie both made Bella recount her story for them, and passed glances amongst themselves throughout it.**

**Edward reached his house in no time then escorted Bella inside. Emmett and Jasper were waiting, with Carlisle and Esme too. They sat in the living room, no one talking. When the door opened, they all stood. **

"**Bella!" Esme cried, running to her and hugging her. "I am so glad that you are okay." She said. Bella nodded and chuckled nervously. This was the first time she'd seen them since she'd run off like a crazy person. No one seemed to even remember.**

"**Yeah, me too." She muttered, looking back up to Edward who was just watching her with a strange expression in his eyes. Carlisle walked over to her. **

"**If you don't mind, your father asked that I check your vitals. He said the paramedics aren't the most trust-worthy with that kind of stuff." He said, laughing softly. She laughed too and nodded. **

"**Yeah go ahead. Leave it to Dad to over react. I'm really fine. I wouldn't be if it weren't for Emmett and Rosalie though." Bella said, looking to both of them with a grateful expression. Everyone else did too. Edward was very surprised to find out that it was them who ended up saving the one thing they thought was the very ruin of the family. **

"**Yeah well...what choice did we have?" Emmett said, shrugging it off. The last thing he felt like was a hero. Carlisle wiped the shocked look from his face long enough to turn back around and check Bella's vitals. He nodded, satisfied. **

"**Bella, you seem to be quick at recovering. After everything that has happened to you at that." He said. Bella shrugged. She didn't agree. She felt like a train wreck, and probably looked it too.**

"**Umm, if you guys don't mind....I'm really tired." She trailed off, feeling embarrassed to ask. Esme nodded and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. **

"**And you should be. C'mon, we've made up a bed for you over here." She led Bella away, who looked back at Edward momentarily. For a split second, he almost looked pained. Like he didn't want to be away from her. Then she shook that thought and laughed inwardly at herself. She must have really lost her mind.**

**Bella woke up the next morning to Alice jumping on the end of her bed. She groaned and rolled over, trying to ignore the little woman. But Alice didn't give up that easily. **

"**Bella, c'mon! We have sooo much to do today and just not enough time!" She exclaimed, grabbing the covers and yanking them off her. Bella gasped and sat up quickly, rubbing her eyes and yawning. **

"**Aliiiice!" she groaned. But Alice just giggled and pulled Bella to her feet. She threw an outfit on the bed and headed for the door. **

"**Change into that, and hurry. We have a big day ahead of us! No going back to sleep!" She ordered, and then closed the door quickly. Bella sighed and looked down at the outfit. A pair of jeans and a very pretty maroon blouse. They were so small though, Bella was sure there was no way they could fit her. **

"**They will fit you. And don't you dare even think about laying back down!" Alice hollered from the other side of the door. How did that little woman know that Bella was in mid-motion, already lying on the bed and about to close her eyes? She groaned once more and got to her feet. **

**Just like Alice had said, the clothes fit her well. Almost too well. They fit her just like a glove. She stared into the mirror for a moment. "Huh." She murmured. Alice burst back through the door and smiled. **

"**See...told you they'd fit." Alice said proudly. Bella rolled her eyes and went to the bathroom to brush her hair. When she came out, Alice stood with a big smile on her face. Bella stopped, looking at her uncertainly. **

"**What's going on?" she asked uneasily. Alice just laughed and grabbed Bella's hand. **

"**Oh you. We're going shopping today! You lost all your clothes yesterday, and you are going to need new ones. Everyone chipped in to help." Alice explained joyfully. Bella stopped immediately and shook her head. **

"**Wait, you guys are paying for these new clothes? No way. I can't let you guys do that." She said quickly, shaking her head. Alice just smirked and patted her head. **

"**There really isn't anything you can say about it, Bella. We've already decided, and we want to help you and Charlie. You are going, and I won't have any arguments!" She exclaimed, and then dragged Bella to the living room, ignoring any further protests. Edward sat on the couch, smiling when he saw her. **

"**Alice, can I talk to Bella for a minute alone before you run off with her?" He asked. Alice grinned and nodded, leaving quickly. Edward pulled Bella into his arms and hugged her for a moment before letting her go. **

"**Alice means well, Bella. There is no talking her out of it when she gets an idea in her head, and to refuse her is to crush her. And trust me; you do **_**not**_** want an unhappy Alice around. It's...horrible." He said, laughing lightly. Bella laughed too, trying to imagine it. **

"**Yeah, I bet that would be rough." She chuckled. Edward kissed her forehead and smiled down at her. **

"**Just go, and have fun. Everything will be here when you get back, and maybe Charlie will even have some good news." He encouraged. She just smiled and nodded. **

"**Good. Now go. Hurry and come back to me." He said, and then gave her a little push towards the door. Alice came back into view and hooked an arm into Bella's and half-dragged her out the door. When Bella turned to look at Edward one last time, he just smiled her favorite smile and waved. She rolled her eyes and got in the car.**

**********************

**Author's Note**

**Hey, I just wanted you guys to know that I am reading the reviews, and I thank you for them. I was beginning to think no one was reading it, or no one liked it! So thanks again. In answer to your questions, no, the Cullen's are **_**not**_**vampires in this fanfic. But they are something else. If you can guess it, I will have to bow to you or something. xD**

**Sorry this chapter was so short; it's kind of a filler chapter. I do intend to reveal the secret of what the Cullen's are (in my fanfic) in the next couple of chapters, so stay tuned. Again, thanks so much for the reviews. –Mel**

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	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight – Broken**

**(TWILIGHT FANFIC. I OWN NONE OF THE CHARACTERS. )**

**Shopping with Alice turned out to be less frightful than Bella had imagined. After she finally got over the idea of the Cullen's buying everything, everything went smoothly. Alice helped her pick out several outfits for herself and even a few for Charlie.**

**Bella came home to find out that Charlie had found them temporary housing with a family friend, the Blacks. Billy had been Charlie's best friend for as long as Bella could remember, and his son Jacob was her age. She remembered him from her visits before. About a week had passed, and the Black's were very hospitable. **

**Edward came by to visit daily, checking up on her making sure she was okay. She waited for his next visit from the moment he left each time. She found herself falling faster in love with him, though she'd never say it out loud. **

**Jacob was fun to be around too. He always had a smile on his face, and did whatever he could to make Bella and Charlie feel at home. Bella liked having someone around that she could talk to and Jacob was definitely easy to talk to.**

**Bella woke up early one morning, nearly two weeks after the fire. She yawned and climbed out of bed, half stumbling into the living room. Jacob greeted her with his normal friendly smile. "Morning Bella!" He chuckled, walking past her to the kitchen. She just groaned and gave him a playful shove. **

"**Shuddup Jacob." She murmured, heading for the bathroom to brush her hair. When she was done, she came back out and Jacob laid out a plate for her full of eggs and bacon. She took in a deep breath and grinned. "Now THIS I could get used to." She joked, sitting down to eat. Jacob sat down beside her with a plate of his own.**

"**Don't get too used to it. I only cook for people I like." Jacob teased, a goofy grin crossing his dark face. Bella just giggled and didn't fire anything back. The room went quiet until Charlie came in. He looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks. **

**Bella didn't understand what kept him up at night anymore. They caught the arsonist, James' girlfriend Victoria. Apparently she had been so mad about James' capture and his failed attempt at revenge that she decided to finish the job. But she was behind bars now too, and everything was just starting to look up. **

**Yet Charlie still seemed to be a wreck. Bella badly wanted to know what was wrong, but he wouldn't talk about. She finally gave up and dropped the subject. Charlie looked around, sniffing the air. "Mmm, breakfast?" he asked. Jacob nodded and fixed him a plate too.**

**They ate in silence, Jacob sending a few significant glances Bella's way. Finally, just before she finished, she heard her phone ringing in her room. She jumped up and went to go get it. She grabbed the phone and flopped over on her bed and flipped it open. "Hello?" she asked. **

**Edward's voice answered, but his tone was so serious that she sat up the instant she heard him. "Bella, we need to talk." Was all he said. **

"**Edward...is everything okay? What happened?" She asked, drawing her knees up around her nervously. **

"**We just need to talk Bella. In person. Are you busy right now? It's very urgent." He said. She stuttered a bit before replying. **

"**Uhh, yeah. You coming over?" She asked.**

"**Yes." And the line went dead. Bella closed the phone and stared at it for a second. Something was wrong. She could feel it. She jumped to her feet and got dressed, then hurried outside. Charlie hollered at her just before she got to the door. **

"**Bells? Everything okay?" he asked. She backtracked to where she could see him and shook her head. **

"**I don't know Dad. Edward's on his way over. I think something is wrong." She said. Jacob narrowed his eyes on her suspiciously but didn't say a word. She shrugged and scooted out the door just in time to see Edward pull up. **

**She walked over to his car and got in the passenger seat. Instead of driving away like he normally did, he left it running. "Bella..." he started quietly. **

**She looked up at him. He looked terrified. She had never seen him like this. He looked...tortured. The pained expression on his face sent chills down her spine. She reached a hand up to touch his face but he leaned away. Her heart raced as she drew her hand back.**

"**Edward, what's wrong?" She asked. He shook his head, the agonized expression deepening. **

"**Bella...This will be the last time you will ever see me." He whispered, his voice so low she barely even heard. Her eyes widened and she could feel her heart beating in her chest. **

"**What?" She asked, her voice not the only thing breaking. He refused to look at her, staring out the window instead. It was like someone covered her face with a plastic bag. She was having trouble comprehending. Never see Edward again? **

"**Bella, I am dangerous. You need to understand that. I never should have gotten so close to you...but I never thought...I was so stupid..." He trailed off, looking down at his lap. Bella could feel the tears welling up in her eyes.**

"**Wait...what...what are you talking about?!" She demanded, her voice a little louder than it should've been. But she didn't care. What was this? He was dangerous?! What game was he playing with her?**

"**Bella, I am sorry. We are leaving. We are leaving and never coming back. I'm sorry. After what Alice saw..." He shut up quickly, realizing he'd said too much. Bella couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was really leaving? Why? What was going on?! **

**Tears started streaming down her cheeks though she tried to fight them. "Why?" She asked, broken. Edward looked up at her, startled by her quick change of mood. When he saw the tears in her eyes, he felt his own heart break in two. He fought the urge to grab her and hold her and tell her everything, but there was no way. **

"**I have to. It's not safe here anymore. You...won't be safe if I stay." He said. She said nothing, staring at her lap and sobbing quietly. Edward tried to ignore her, but it was impossible.**

"**Bella...believe me. If I had another choice, I would gladly take it. But we can't stay here anymore. And you...it's too dangerous to take you with us." He said softly, trying to make her understand. But it only confused her and hurt her more. **

"**I don't understand...you don't...you don't want me anymore?" She asked, defeated. Edward looked up and met her gaze for the first time since she'd gotten in the car. He wanted to scream at her that he loved her more than anything else in the world. He wanted to take her in his arms and stop her pain. But he couldn't. **

**He had to leave, and break any ties with her. She needed to hate him...she needed to loathe him. If she didn't, she wouldn't be safe anymore. He took in a deep breath...knowing what he had to do and hating himself for it. **

"**Bella...No. I do not want to ever see you again. Do you understand? You are weak. You let James run you off the road. You let him beat you up. You are weak and pathetic. I can't even be seen with you. So get out of my car, Bella. Get out and don't ever talk to me again." He said, keeping his voice even and cold. **

**He avoided her eyes, knowing what pain would come if he looked. It would break him, if he saw it. He would take back everything he said that he didn't mean. He couldn't tell her that she was the strongest person he'd ever met before. She had been through all that and still stood firmly, not ever breaking. But he couldn't tell her how much he admired her. He couldn't tell her how much he loved her...**

**She had gone completely still. His words sunk in, but she couldn't believe they'd come out of his mouth. So that was how it really was? He had been putting up this façade... this front, when the whole time he really thought she was weak? She didn't even know what to say to that. She couldn't move. She couldn't think. **

"**Bella. Get out of my car." Edward growled. She looked over at him, hoping to see a smile, hoping to catch a glimpse from him saying this was all a prank. She looked at the house, hoping for them all to come out laughing. But instead, all she could see was Jacob, watching her through the window with a concerned look on his face. **

**He saw the tears that stained her face and come bursting out the door but stopped just on the other side. Bella looked back at Edward. He was serious. He was leaving. He didn't love her, he didn't even like her. She gulped, but her throat was so dry it hurt. She forced herself to nod, the words stuck in her throat. **

**Her hand shook as she grabbed the door to the car and opened it. As soon as both feet hit the gravel, Edward sped off, the speed shutting the door instead of her. Gravel flew all over the place and Bella fell to her knees. Jacob was beside her in an instant. "What...What happened? Bella? Bella?!" He asked, catching her as she fell unconscious.**

"**Jacob! Jacob? What...Bella? Jake, what the hell happened?" Charlie came bursting through the door, curious until he saw Jacob stand up, holding an unconscious Bella in his arms. He ran over to him, but Jacob was heading for the door. He brought her inside and took her to her bed, laying her down.**

"**What happened?!" Charlie demanded. Jacob shook his head, staring at Bella, still shocked. **

"**I have no idea...She was crying in Edward's car, then she got out and he sped off. Then she passed out." He said, then drew Charlie from the room. "Let's let her rest...when she wakes we'll find out what happened." He said. Charlie's angry red face grew darker. **

"**Edward did this? No. I'm not waiting for her to wake up. I'm calling him right now." He grunted, grabbing his phone from his pocket. He dialed Edward's number and waited for him to pick up. He didn't and it went to voicemail seconds later. He muttered some curses and closed the phone. **

**Jacob went to the kitchen and poured himself some water to drink. Charlie followed him, grabbing a beer from the fridge. They sat down at the table quietly, waiting for some sound from Bella's room to tell them she was awake. A few hours later, Jacob got up to use the bathroom and noticed Bella was sitting up in her bed. **

"**Bella." Was all he said, rushing to her room. Charlie was right behind him. They stood on either side of her bed, sharing distressed glances. Bella sat up in her bed, her dull brown eyes staring forward at nothing. She didn't move, or blink. It was like she was comatose. Jacob waved a hand in front of her face, but it had no effect on her.**

"**Bella?" Charlie asked, worried. She remained completely still, barely even breathing.**

"**Bella, what happened?" Jacob asked quietly. He desperately wanted to help. Seeing her like this was killing him. He would sucker-punch Cullen for whatever it is he said to her.**

"**He...I don't understand..." She whispered, her voice cracking. She broke then, tears streaming down her cheeks. Both of her hands covered her face instantly as shaking sobs tore through her. Jacob reached out, pulling her into his arms. Charlie stood there, eyes wide and helpless. **

"**Shhh...don't worry, Bella. You'll get through this. You always do." Jacob soothed, petting her while trying to calm her. But his words had the opposite effect. **

"**He said...he thinks...he thinks I'm weak...that...that..." She whimpered, her shaking intensifying. Jacob's eyes widened, looking disgusted. **

"**He said what?! No! Bella, you are NOT weak. You are like...the strongest person I have ever met...Don't you dare listen to him." He said, trying to help. But again, it did no good. She didn't care what he thought, she only cared what Edward thought. **

**Charlie was still speechless. He was going to kill Edward Cullen. His anger became so intense he had to leave the room just to calm down. He tried Edward's cell again, but received no reply. Instead, he tried Carlisle's. No answer. What the hell? He called the hospital, and demanded to talk to Carlisle. **

"**Charlie?" The voice on the other end asked. Charlie cursed under his breath. **

"**I don't want to talk to you, Gary. I want Carlisle Cullen. Right now." He growled, balling his hand into a fist. The voice on the other end stuttered a bit at his tone before being able to come out with a response that was halfway understandable. **

"**I can't help you Chief. Carlisle called in today and put in his resignation. He won't be back here. Moving to...somewhere I have never heard of. He came and cleared his stuff in a pretty big hurry. Left a few hours ago." Gary said. Charlie couldn't believe his ears. That was the same time Edward left Bella in such a state. **

"**Why. Why did he decide to skip town so suddenly?" Charlie asked seriously. He had gone into Police Chief Mode. Something didn't sound right. **

"**I dunno. He just...took off. He looked scared, to tell you the truth. Real scared. Never seen him so nervous in all the years I've worked with him. Not even during the hardest of surgeries." Gary went on, but Charlie tuned him out. When he was done, he murmured thanks and clicked off the phone.**

**Something fishy was going on. He thought Bella and Edward were just starting to get serious, but it looks like he just dumped her. Now Carlisle is leaving in a hurry too? Something was definitely not right. He glanced back into Bella's room. She was still sobbing, Jacob holding her and trying to calm her down. **

**Jacob was a good kid. He had been looking out for Bella like a big brother in all the years him and Billy had been friends. He would be good for Bella. Maybe if she ever got over Edward, she could see Jacob. They would be a good couple. Charlie let out a sigh. Then again, maybe she would never open her eyes. Sometimes things turn out like that...**

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**Author's Note**

** Thanks again for the reviews guys. They make me all warm and fuzzy inside. 3 -Mel**

**P.S. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message. I try to check this daily, so I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Don't expect me to give out any secrets though!**

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	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine – Taken**

**(TWILIGHT FANFIC. I OWN NONE OF THE CHARACTERS. )**

**Charlie went into the station early Tuesday morning like he had for the last week, since Edward left Bella. Just like every other day, he went about calling in favors and checking the Cullen's credit cards. For the last week, he had been desperately trying to find them, but they were gone. Like they had disappeared off the face of the earth. **

"**Where did you go? What happened to you guys?" Charlie muttered quietly, looking down at his keyboard. He had never seen anyone disappear like this before. So scared...Gary had said. Edward was scared enough to leave Bella in such a mess. **

**And Bella....she had been like a zombie the last week. She went about her day like everyone else, but she always had dark spots under her dull eyes, and he hadn't seen her smile since the day Edward left. He desperately wanted to find the Cullen's and drag Edward back here. To find out what the hell happened that made them jet like criminals. **

**A few seconds later his number two, Michael, knocked on his door. Charlie hollered for him to come in, but he only opened the door enough to stick his head in. "Charlie, some feds are here to see you." He muttered angrily. Charlie looked up, a bit confused. **

"**Feds? Well...what do they want?" He asked, curious about Michael's expression. The other man shook his head. **

"**You have to hear this for yourself." He said, then backed out and let the feds in. There were two men, both about the same height. They both had dark eyes and black hair but short. The one on the left stood out, a smug expression on his face. Charlie took an instant disliking to them. **

**  
"Can I help you fella's?" he asked, slightly annoyed. The smug one stood forward, flashing a badge quickly. **

"**I'm Special Agent in charge Ames White. This is my partner." White said, not bothering to mention his name. The guy didn't seem to mind, staring at the wall motionless. Charlie looked them over skeptically. **

"**Okay. I'm Charlie. Again...What can I help you with?" He asked, leaning back. White pursed his lips a bit, angrily. Charlie didn't care. Just their presence in his office was annoying him. **

"**We are looking for some fugitives that rumors have led us to believe live in your little town here, Charlie." White said, spitting out Charlie's name arrogantly. Charlie let out a laugh. **

"**Criminals? In my town? We don't even have low-life burglars here." He said cynically. White pursed his lips again, looking to his partner for half a second. **

"**Charlie...have you ever seen this man?" White asked, holding out a picture. Charlie couldn't help his surprised expression to see Carlisle's face, about ten or so years younger. White just put on an arrogant smile. "I thought so." He said. **

**Charlie looked up at him again, unconvinced. "Yeah, that's Carlisle alright. He's a bit older now, but he is no criminal. He is a good man." Charlie said firmly. He may have left like a bat out of hell, but he was no criminal. He saved many lives in his stay in Forks. **

**White, however, laughed cockily. "All due respect, but you have no clue who you are dealing with. This man is a very very dangerous man, and the rest of his 'family' is just as dangerous." He said, raising his fingers to quote the word family. Charlie narrowed his eyes. **

"**The Cullen's are good people. I don't know who you—"Charlie started, but White interrupted quickly, clicking his tongue and shaking his head. **

"**Charlie, Charlie, Charlie. How about you stop telling us what you think you know and just tell us where to find these...Cullen's?" He said, tapping his foot. **

**Charlie narrowed his eyes on them. He didn't like this one bit. He didn't want to help them, but he knew it was his job. Denying the feds? That'd get him locked up faster than anything. "Your guess is as good as mine. They hit the road about a week ago, never to be heard from again." He said, leaning back in his chair. **

"**Now why don't you tell me what this is all about?" He asked, eyeing White and his partner, who were sharing significant glances. White turned to him with a smug grin. **

"**Charlie, you are asking for classified information. I'm going to need everything you have on the Cullen's, and I mean everything. We're going to be here for a long time...until we figure out where they went. And...I am going to need the full cooperation of your entire department, no questions asked." White demanded, a smirk forming on his lips. Charlie put on a forced smile.**

"**Feel free." Was all he said. White just clicked his tongue and left with his partner in tow. Charlie gathered his things. He needed to go home and check on Bella. And ask her if she thought anything was weird with the Cullen's in her time spent with them. Something was going on, and he intended to find out what.**

**Charlie pulled up in the Black's driveway, letting out a sigh as he got out of the car. He came in to see Bella sitting at the table with Jacob, both laughing. The sight made his heart jump for joy. Bella...was smiling. Color had returned to her face. She looked alive again. He couldn't believe it.**

**He also couldn't bring up Edward. He wouldn't be able to bear shoving her back in her shell just to bring up Edward and his family. He hid the files behind his back and just smiled. "Bella. How ya feeling?" he asked. She looked up at him with the smile still on her face.**

"**I'm doing good Dad. Jacob was just showing me some old pictures of us. How was work?" she asked. Charlie shrugged. **

"**Interesting." He said, then smiled and headed for his bedroom to change out of his uniform. When he came out, Bella was gone and Jacob was cleaning dishes. Charlie used this advantage to go help him. **

"**So, you got Bella to smile again. I can't say how happy that makes me." He started, smiling a bit. Jacob just grinned at him. **

"**Yeah, I think she has been wanting to, she just needed the push. She's too dull. She used to be fun to be around, but we just have to get her back to her old self." Jacob said, handing him washed dishes for him to rinse and dry off. **

**Charlie nodded. "Yeah. Maybe later on tonight you should take Bella on a date or something. You know, to get her mind off of Edward." He suggested, trying to sound innocent. Jacob just looked at him and laughed, shaking his head. **

"**No way, man. Bella is like my little sister. Date her? No, no, no. Besides, she is going to help me get a date with this girl from the reservation." Jacob explained, looking at Charlie with a hopeful look. "I really like her. I hope she says yes."**

**Charlie just smiled. He shoulda known that Jacob was interested in another girl. Besides, Jacob was right. They were always more like siblings than anything else. He guessed he should be thankful for that. Just then, he heard a thunderous knock on the front door. Both men jumped, and looked at each other. "I'll get it." Jacob said, moving to the front door. Charlie finished up the dishes, but listened closely. **

**He didn't have to. Whoever it was burst right back Jacob and came storming into the kitchen. Charlie heard Jacob's protests and whirled around to see White and his partner, along with several other men, all armed. "What the hell is going on here?" He demanded, drying off his hands. Jacob stared at the men, all in black suits, all with dark eyes and the same haircut. **

**White stepped forward, angrily pointing a finger at Charlie. "You withheld information today, Charlie. You know what kind of trouble that gets people in these days?" He asked, glaring hatefully. Charlie looked thoroughly confused. **

"**You didn't tell us that your daughter was dating one of them, did you?! You decided that that wasn't a very good idea, did you? Well. Your daughter knows where they went, and she is going to tell us." He said. The men took off then, searching the house. Jacob, at the first mention of Bella's name, disappeared.**

**Charlie glared at White. "Bella doesn't know anything, trust me. She's been a wreck ever since he left."**

**White chuckled. "Oh she knows. She knows everything, and she is coming with us. Any...interfering...will result in the loss of your badge. Are, we, clear?" he asked, so close to Charlie face that he could've licked him. Charlie gritted hit teeth and said nothing. The men came back into the room empty handed. **

"**There's no sign of the girl." One reported. White stomped his foot angrily. **

"**That Indian kid must've taken off with her. Find her. FIND HER NOW." He bellowed, pointing out the door. All the men took off quickly, leaving Charlie alone with him.**

"**I'm serious, White. She doesn't know anything." He said, his voice firm. But White wasn't listening. He was facing the door, where the man came back in, two holding Jacob, two holding Bella. Both were struggling. **

**Jacob managed to get loose and hit one of the men, making a break for Bella, only to get tackled by two more standing idly. They pinned him to the ground. But that didn't stop him. He fought to get loose, but went still the minute they put the barrel of a rifle to his temple. Bella screamed.**

"**You son of a bitch! Let them go!" Charlie demanded. White held out a hand to halt him, clicking his tongue again. **

"**Tsk tsk tsk. Do you want to lose your badge, Charlie?" White asked, taunting. Charlie looked into Bella's terrified eyes and turned to glare at White. **

"**Let them go...right now." He demanded. White shook his head. **

"**I'm afraid I can't do that. See...I have an obligation to catch these criminals, and your daughter is going to help me, whether she wants to or not." He said, then headed for the door. The men holding Jacob released him and shoved him at Charlie. When he turned to fight for Bella, they aimed their rifles at him. He stopped unwillingly and stared.**

"**Good boys. Forget we were ever here." White said, putting on sunglasses and motioning for his men to leave. Bella started struggling, looking back at Charlie and Jacob, who stood helpless as they dragged her away. **

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**Author's Note**

**Sorry if it's full of typos and stuff...I was in a hurry to get it posted before work and didn't get a chance to really go through and proofread it. =( Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews. They mean a lot. -Mel**

**P.S. The secret is almost revealed! I gave a clue in this chapter, and if any of you are going to know what it is, you will have caught it immediately. **

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	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten – Regret**

**(TWILIGHT FANFIC. I OWN NONE OF THE CHARACTERS. )**

**It'd been two weeks since they'd left Forks. Since he'd had to abandon the only woman in the world he was sure he would ever truly love. The only thing that had felt real to him besides his family. But it was for them that he left. It was for them and himself that he had to leave. Because if they had been around when White and his crew of gangsters showed up, it would all be over for them. And he would never...ever let that happen. **

**He knew that White was ruthless, relentless, and would use any lead he had to get a trail. And leaving Bella behind made her the perfect target for that pursuit. He put her in danger, he knew, but there was nothing else he could do. He tried to break all ties, tried to make her hate him. If she hated him....she had a better chance with White. **

**He gritted his teeth, his thoughts taking him back to the horrible words that had come out of his mouth. The whole way to Louisiana he'd kicked himself, hated himself despite the reassurances from everyone else that he did what he had to. But he couldn't help feeling that he had betrayed Bella somehow.**

**They'd made it to Louisiana the day they left Forks, taking refuge others of their kind. Peter and Charlotte had always been welcoming whenever they were in trouble. **

"**It's been a long time." Peter said, welcoming them in the door. Carlisle thanked him as they walked into the main area of the underground bunker. They all sat in a circle, Peter and Charlotte sitting side by side. **

"**What happened, Carlisle?" Charlotte couldn't help but ask. Peter looked at her like he was going to say something, but refrained, looking back at Carlisle and waiting on his answer. Carlisle just put on a polite smile on.**

"**Well, We had the younger ones enroll in school so we wouldn't look as suspicious. Sometime during school, someone ran a girl off the road, and Edward saved her." Carlisle started, looking over to Edward, who was looking down.**

**Rosalie pursed her lips, unable to control her anger any longer. She'd held it in this whole time with Emmett's help, but she couldn't any longer. "He fell in love with her. With that pathetic human!" Rosalie exclaimed, looking at Edward as if he were a shame to the family. Emmett said nothing, just put his arm around Rosalie in an attempt to calm her before she went farther than she already had. **

**Edward gritted his teeth, looking up to glare at her. Peter and Charlotte exchanged glances but remained quiet. "She is NOT pathetic!" He bellowed, his whole body shaking with anger. Even Rosalie jumped. **

"**Edward...please." Esme pleaded, moving to sit next to him and put an arm around his shoulder. He nodded, breathing deep and letting it out in an effort to calm down. But Rosalie wasn't done yet.**

"**They taught us....they taught us not to form affections for anyone during a mission." Rosalie said, trying to keep her voice at a normal level. Edward looked up at her, bewildered. **

"**We aren't there anymore, Rosalie! What they taught us no longer matters. Manticore is DEAD. GONE. There are no more missions, there are no more orders. It doesn't matter anymore!" He half yelled, also trying to keep from exploding. **

"**You don't think I don't know that? Yes, Edward, Manticore is gone. We are never going back, but they are hunting us! Getting attached is making weaknesses when we shouldn't have any! Leaving Forks should have been easy, but you made it hard! YOU fell in love with her!" Rosalie screamed, standing up. Emmett tried to pull her back down, but she ignored him.**

"**YOU put us all in danger. YOU made us stay so you could say your little goodbyes when they could have showed up that very minute. Was she worth it to put us all in danger, Edward? Huh? Is she worth your life?!" she continued, unable to control her anger. The rest of the room had gone completely quiet, sensing that the two needed to get this out. **

"**YES! Bella means more to me than my own life, Rosalie. I would rather DIE than be here without her. But I am here for you guys. I only came because staying put YOU in danger." Edward growled, standing up to glare at her one last time before storming out. Rosalie didn't speak, she just sat down beside Emmett who hugged her. Alice got up to go after Edward, but Jasper held her back.**

"**He needs some time alone. He deserves that much at least..." Esme said quietly. Alice nodded and sat down, but looked at the door sadly. Edward found a back door and went out, walking around outside. He found a path, and took it. He had no idea where it led, but anywhere was better than in there with Rose. **

**It had been ten years since Manticore's demise, ten years since they escaped. He remembered with a clarity he wished he didn't. He'd heard the alarms, heard the confusion in his troops thoughts. The building was on fire, he gathered from the thoughts of a few superiors running through the hallway. He also knew that they had no intention of freeing anyone. **

**Manticore was a government funded secret facility in the center of a deep wood near Gillette, Wyoming. They started out by fussing the genetic sequence of humans to create a stronger, faster human. Then they trained them to be super soldiers. They taught them every style of fighting, how to use every gun. Anything and everything a stealth assassin would know how to do. **

**They grew up testing their limits. Able to hold their breath underwater up to nearly an hour. Able to punch through a concrete wall. Able to avoid speeding bullets. Able to run to fast that it would blur to normal human vision. They could be behind you and break your neck without even having to think about it. Trained to kill. **

**They even infused some with the DNA of animals to help reach their goals. Women were infused the feline DNA to make them more graceful. All of the soldiers DNA made them beautiful. Just as they were beautiful, they were dangerous. They trained mercilessly every day. Going through physical and mental training to keep them alert and focused. For years, this went on. He remembered his superior once ranting. **

"**Imagine...instead of sending in one hundred troops, and losing twenty, we can send in ten perfect soldiers and lose none..." he had said. Manticore was divided into many different departments. Edward remembered his years growing up in the Psy-Ops department. There, they worked to perfect his ability to read minds. In the Psy-Ops department was also where he met Alice and Jasper. **

**Jasper was being implanted with a device linked to his mind. It was able to control the emotions of those around him. Due to Edward's ability, he knew that Jasper didn't like having such a power, but refused to voice his opinions, afraid that they would send him to a different department, away from Alice. **

**Alice was there daily, and almost always in surgery. For some reason, they couldn't get her ability to see into the future perfect. She could only see the outcome of decisions once they were made. This made many of the superiors very angry. They didn't like weakness. Split-second decisions to change your mind were too much of a weakness. **

**Carlisle was the head of the clinic. He was one of the first perfected transgenics, skilled like no other in the department of medicine. He was always overseeing the surgeries, and had a firsthand account of every one of Alice's useless surgeries. He saw everything they did to her, and hated them. Nothing they did was any good, and they didn't understand that they should have been happy with what they had. Instead, they planned to end Alice and start over.**

**It was him that made the plans to get her out. A few years back an entire squad of transgenics made a successful escape, and they had been hunted ever since. Carlisle knew it was possible, and he had to get Alice out before she was killed. Just before his plans went into effect, a re-captured transgenic from the earlier escape got out again, taking down Manticore on her way.**

**The halls were on fire, the whole place burning up. And they had no intentions of letting out anyone. If the transgenics got into the population and people found out about them Manticore would be over. That was exactly what the other transgenic had in mind. She had hoped that now Manticore would stop hunting them. She was wrong.**

**Instead of just hunting to recapture the transgenics, Manticore was now hunting to kill them before the population found out. And White was head of that department. It was his job to see that every transgenic was found, and taken care of.**

**During the breakout, the transgenic managed to unlock and open all the doors inside, freeing everyone. Edward met up with Carlisle in the hallway. He knew by reading his thoughts that he was headed for Alice's room. He was going to get her out and Edward was going to help. When they reached her, someone had gotten to her first. Jasper. **

**He had her unconscious body in his arms, leading her towards safety. Human guards had found him, and were about to gun him down when Edward and Carlisle showed up. They took care of the guards and led Jasper and Alice towards safety. On the outside, they were pinned down by a troop of 6 guards. **

**Carlisle and Edward would've easily taken them out if not for the six rifles aimed at their heads. Just before they opened fire, a bear of a man, literally, plowed through them. Right behind him was a blonde woman, taking out two guards single handedly. Edward and Carlisle took care of the rest. **

**They escaped, sticking together after that. The six of them ran through the woods until they reached the nearest town. Carlisle led them to a house and ushered them inside. Edward gleaned from Carlisle's mind that he knew the person who lived here. **

"**Listen to me. Stay low and out of the windows. Don't let anyone come through that door." Carlisle had ordered. Edward didn't really understand why everyone trusted Carlisle, but they did. About three hours later, someone came crashing through the door. In seconds, Edward had the unknown woman in his arms, about to break her neck when Carlisle cried out.**

"**Edward, NO!" Carlisle's voice was so frightened that Edward immediately let her go. She gasped for air, and then turned to look at Edward. He scoured her mind and realized she was just a civilian...a human. She was also in love with Carlisle. Esme ran to Carlisle and hugged him tightly. **

"**I cam as fast as I could when I heard...I'm so glad you got out okay." She exclaimed. Carlisle nodded. **

"**We all got out okay. Thankfully." He said with a smile, looking around at everyone. Edward could hear Alice's thoughts all of a sudden. **

"**She's waking." He said quietly. Jasper looked down at the one in his arms just in time to see her open her eyes. She looked up at him and smiled. **

"**We got out..." She said quietly, smiling happily. Jasper squeezed her lightly and nodded. **

"**You saw it?" He asked her. She nodded and sat up, looking around. **

"**I knew that was Max's plan. To get everyone out. I was hoping we would all make it together." She said softly, taking his hand and squeezing it lightly. The big man and the blonde woman looked at Alice in wonder, but didn't say anything. **

**For Edward, they didn't have to. "Yes, she can see into the future. But only after the decisions are made." Edward answered aloud the unspoken questions. The woman stared at him. **

"**Yes, I can read both of your minds." Edward said quietly. **

"**I had heard about the experiments they were running in the Psy-Ops division, but I didn't even know that was possible." The man said. Edward nodded. **

"**What division are you guys in?" Jasper asked. **

"**I'm Emmett, and this is Rosalie. I'm in the infantry division. I'm the muscle." He said proudly. **

"**Deep cover operations." Rosalie said quietly. Emmett put an arm around her and smiled.**

**After that, everyone stuck together. For ten years the Cullen's, as they had dubbed themselves, stuck together. They stayed in hiding, ducking just out of White's way thanks to Alice. **

**Forks seemed like a nice, quiet, out of the way town. Perfect for a hiding spot. Since Edward, Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie were all under twenty; they figured the best way to blend in would be school. Carlisle immediately signed on at the hospital and Esme stayed home to scan police frequencies and make sure they would stay safe. It was a perfect little life in hiding until Bella.**

**After her, Edward and this life would never be the same. He trudged through the forest, pushing any more thoughts of Manticore from his head. He wanted to forget about them. He couldn't forget about them forever, but for the time being would have to be good enough. **

**He felt his phone ringing in his pocket. He flipped it open. It was Charlie, calling again. This was at least the 20****th**** time today. He was sure to be angry, and Edward couldn't take it. He closed the phone again without answering. That was when he heard his name being called out. Screamed, was more like it.**

**He whirled around, listening again. Was he hearing things? He heard his name again. Alice. He turned and ran back to the bunker as fast as he could. Everyone was standing on the outside of the door, all eyes on him. Everyone's expression differed. **

**He saw pity, caution, and anger. But their thoughts all told him the same thing. White had Bella, and he was torturing her to get their location. And he was going to kill her to send a message to Edward. Edward's face crinkled with rage. He was going back. He was going to kill them all. Anyone who laid even a finger on her was going to die. They were hurting his Bella...**

"**Edward, no." Carlisle said. He held out one hand to halt him. Edward just glared at him. **

"**Carlisle...they have Bella..." He growled. Carlisle nodded. The tension was so thick it could've been cut with a knife. Jasper used his ability in an attempt to calm Edward, but it just made him more furious. He whirled and Jasper and tackled him to the ground. "I told you....never to use that on me...or I would kick your ass." Edward hissed. **

**It took Emmett, Carlisle and Peter too pull Edward off of Jasper. Alice ran to his side and helped him up. Carlisle grabbed Edward's arm roughly. "Edward, you need to calm down. Jasper is trying to help you. You won't do Bella any good if you run in there without a plan and you know it. Now please. Calm down. Let's figure this out." Carlisle said soothingly. Edward shook his head and pulled his arm out of Carlisle's grasp. **

"**Carlisle, every second we waste they hurt her more. I don't need a plan; I am going to kill them all!" He said angrily. Carlisle shook his head. **

"**Edward, think about what you are saying! Kill them all? Since when have you become a monster?" He asked. Edward glowered. **

"**Since...what...Carlisle. They MADE us monsters! I have been a monster since I was born!" he exclaimed, even laughing ironically. Carlisle shook his head. **

"**Edward...you are not a monster. If you believe you are, then that's what Bella is going to believe too. Don't you want to be better? For her?" Esme asked quietly, trying to talk some sense into him. Her quieted then, looking at her. He felt a calm envelop him, and this time he didn't fight Jasper's power. He knew they were right. He knew he needed a plan to save her. A voice behind him broke his thoughts.**

"**Edward...it's a trap." Alice said quietly. He nodded. "I know Alice...but I can't just leave her there...I can't let them hurt her because of me..." He said, looking down at the ground. **

"**Edward, it's a trap for **_**you**_**." Alice continued. Edward turned to face her, a bit confused now. Didn't he just make his point rather clear?**

"**But you won't be the only one going. We are all going. We are going to save Bella." Carlisle said.**

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**Author's Note**

**And there it is! The secret is revealed! If anyone has seen the TV show Dark Angel on Fox, you will know about this. But, unfortunately, Dark Angel wasn't watched by too many, so many of you will have no idea what Manticore is or who Ames White is. If you do, congrats! If not, I hope I summarized it well enough for you. If you have any questions, I'd be glad to answer them. Thanks for the reviews and everything guys. Keep them coming, they keep me writing. -Mel **

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	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven – Rescue**

**(TWILIGHT FANFIC. I OWN NONE OF THE CHARACTERS. )**

**Peter and Charlotte were more than willing to lend some equipment to them. Once they were all equipped with ear buds linked to one another's, they changed into black outfits. Things were relatively quiet as everyone got ready. Carlisle handed Rosalie her ear bud, who shoved it away. He let out a small sigh. **

"**Rosalie, c'mon. Bella needs this." He said, offering the ear bud again. She pursed her lips and looked at Emmett. **

"**What is she to me? Besides a menace..." She said, refusing the ear bud again. Carlisle was quiet for a moment. **

"**She's everything to Edward. Edward is one of us. Edward needs you. He needs us." He said. Rosalie was far from convinced, but she grabbed the ear bud anyway. Carlisle thanked her and moved on. **

**They made a few phone calls and found out that White had Bella taken to Burbank, Alaska, to a military warehouse on the outskirts of town. Esme and Carlisle parked a van a block away and waited, listening to them in her ear bud. They hacked into the surveillance camera's with a laptop, and looped a decoy feed in, so that anyone on the inside watching would see the same nothing, but Carlisle could lead the others around obstacles. **

**Edward took point, with Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie and Alice on his tail. No one said a word, using hand signals to give orders. They reached the entrance, where Emmett and Jasper took out the two guards with tranquilizer guns. Rosalie and Alice stayed behind to hide the bodies while Edward, Emmett and Jasper went on ahead. **

"**Just on the other side of the door in front of you is a guard. After him you are free for the whole hallway." Carlisle's voice buzzed in their ear buds. Jasper and Emmett leaned against the door on either side, while Edward kicked it in. The guard on the other side was propelled into the wall due to the force of the kick. **

**He turned, looking bewildered at Jasper, who hit him hard enough in the face to knock him the rest of the way out. "Alice, Rose, another body on the other side of the front door. Carlisle, let them know before someone else finds it." Jasper said into his comm. He received a reply from both Carlisle and Alice before letting Edward and Emmett advance. **

"**Edward, it seems that there are holding cells up ahead on the right. I can't see who it is, but there are definitely people in there. Maybe one of them is Bella." Esme's voice sang into his ear. He looked at Jasper and Emmett who both nodded. It was worth looking into. **

**And if Bella was hurt in any way, Edward didn't care what kind of a monster it made him look like. He was going to kill White and anyone else who touched her. He knew by all rights that this was his fault, that he should be the one punished for ever getting close to her. For putting her in this kind of danger.**

**He gritted his teeth and expelled all other thoughts from his mind. His mission was to get Bella out and to safety. If he was going to succeed, he needed to focus. Emmett and Jasper took off towards the holding cells and Edward went off in search of White.**

**The rooms were dark to normal humans, but to Emmett and Jasper, they were lit up like daytime. There were six cells. Three empty, three occupied by bound and gagged men. Emmett and Jasper moved to the first cell, where Emmett used his bear strength to kick in the metal barred door. Jasper swooped in quickly to the person, pulling out the gag and cutting the ties. **

**He recognized the man as a transgenic, from a generation below him. The man thanked him and Jasper shook his head. "This place is crawling with bad guys. If you can get out, do it. But be careful." He said. The man nodded and was gone. Emmett moved to the second door and bashed it in as well. Jasper moved stealthily to the dark-skinned man in the corner, releasing him too. **

"**Charlie..." Was all the young Native American man said. Jasper looked at him, a bit confused at first. **

"**Charlie? Someone you know?" Emmett asked quietly. The man swallowed before pointing in the cell next door. **

"**Charlie...you have to get him out...He's badly hurt." The man said again. Emmett nodded and moved to open the next door. Jasper looked down at the man, who was covered in cuts and bruises himself. And he was worried about this other guy?**

"**What's your name?" Jasper asked as he helped the man to his feet. **

"**Jacob...Jacob Black." He said, accepting the help. Jasper got him to his feet, where he stood. His stance was wobbly at best, but he could walk on his own. Emmett pulled out the barely conscious man from the next room, looking at Jasper with an unreadable expression. **

"**You are never going to guess who this is..." Emmett said quietly. All at once, Jasper realized. **

"**Bella's dad..." He said, horrified. They did this to the chief of police? He was bleeding from nearly everywhere. His clothes were torn and welts covered his face. Ha had to have a least 3 broken bones, Jasper guessed. Jacob looked at them, bewildered. **

"**You guys know Bella?" He asked. Jasper and Emmett shared glances before Jasper spoke. **

"**She's the reason why we are here." He said. Jacob stared for a moment, apparently having trouble comprehending. **

"**Are you guys like...secret agents or something?" He asked. Emmett scoffed but didn't speak. Jasper grinned. **

"**Not...exactly. C'mon. We need to get you guys out of here. We'll explain everything once we are safe." Jasper said, moving next to Jacob to help him walk. But Jacob moved away quickly, trying to hide the pain resulting in doing so. **

"**No. I came here for Bella, and I am not leaving without her." Jacob said firmly. Jasper looked at Emmett, who shook his head. **

"**Jacob, you need to trust us. Bella is going to be safe. Edward is looking for her right now. There is no way we are leaving without her." He said. He tried to continue, but Jacob erupted. **

"**Edward?!" He bellowed a little too loudly. Jasper was behind him in an instant, a hand over his mouth. **

"**Jacob, you need to be quiet or we'll all get caught and that won't do Bella any favors!" Jasper hissed in his ear. Jacob stopped struggling and Jasper let him go. **

"**Edward? He's the reason you guys are here? He's the reason SHE is here! They only grabbed her because of him!" Jacob snarled, livid now. Jasper urged a sense of calm on him that worked instantly. Jacob started breathing normally and went quiet. **

"**Edward...loves Bella more than anything else in this world, and believe me, he did what he had to. And it ended badly. If he didn't care about her, we wouldn't be here, Jacob. You need to trust us. Bella will be fine, but we need you to get Charlie out of here. There is a van parked outside. Carlisle will meet you outside the building. Go. Now!" Jasper ordered. **

**Jacob nodded and grabbed Charlie from Emmett's grip, and took off. Emmett explained everything to Carlisle via the comm. system and waited for Carlisle's response. Once assured that Jacob and Charlie would be safe, they took off down the hallway. **

**Meanwhile, Edward's path led him to the main part of the warehouse. As he came up to the opening, he heard White's voice. A voice from his past that still sent chills up his spine. **

"**You are going to give him to us. You can either do it the way we want you to, or more pain will follow." White's voice was smug. Edward gritted his teeth and moved in closer, trying to get a better view. It seemed that no matter where he moved to, the voices weren't there. There must be an echo in the room. **

**He heard someone mumbling, but couldn't make out the words. "Tell him! Tell him to come after you!" White yelled, then Edward heard what sounded like fist on flesh. He heard someone cry out in pain.**

"**No Edward, don't!!" Bella screamed, the cried out again when White struck her once more. Edward felt his fists balling up. It took him everything he had not to blow his cover. He moved behind the next set of boxes and finally came into view of Bella and White, and the sight broke his heart in two. **

**She was tied to a chair, blood matted in her hair. Her beautiful skin was broken in more places than he could dare look at. This was all his fault. He looked away, and then steeled himself. He had to get her out. That's all he would focus on. **

**He looked around the room. There was only Bella, White and one other person. A female with long, dark hair that fell down her back in waves. She wasn't dressed like the rest of White's lackeys. She wore a white long sleeved shirt with a black corset on top of a pair of dark jeans and boots. Brown eyes stared at Bella emotionlessly. Almost like she was bored with all of this. Edward ducked back down, trying to decide what to do next. **

"**You know he will come for you, Bella. He's going to come alone, because he is weak like that. He'll come, and we'll be expecting him. He'll come...and we'll kill him." White taunted. Bella glared at him with hate in brown eyes. Edward felt himself mentally screaming at her not to believe him. She just glared, forcing herself not to cry. **

**He had one advantage, if nothing else. White thought he would come alone. No doubt he thought the others would refuse to do something as dumb as to out themselves to save one girl. But he was wrong. He underestimated the power of the family that they felt. The bond that had taken years to grow. Something he obviously had no experience with.**

**He began to wonder then what would happen after he got her out of here. Would she hate him? Hate him for leaving her and hate him for hurting her like this? He deserved it. He deserved it and he would not argue. For the umpteenth time tonight, Edward shoved any other thoughts out of his brain. He needed to focus, and dwelling wouldn't do anyone any favors. **

**He watched quietly, waiting for the perfect time to strike. White moved closer to Bella, getting his face right next to hers. A smirk crossed his face. "Bella, Bella, Bella. Would you like to watch when we kill him? We can make it slow, if you like. Payment, for this pain he caused you." He said. Bella's beautiful face distorted into a wicked smile that Edward never wanted to see again.**

"**Edward...didn't cause me any pain. This is on you, asshole. And I will make damn sure that you pay for it." She hissed, then spit all of his face. He went completely still for a whole minute, nearly unable to believe what just happened. Then he brought his fist back and hit her so hard her chair fell backwards. But Bella steeled herself, unwilling to cry out. **

**White had better be thanking his lucky stars that Edward knew outing himself wouldn't do Bella any good at that moment, or he wouldn't have had a second to think about anything else before Edward was on him, breaking his puny neck. Edward steeled himself, cursing White in every language he knew, and swearing to every God that he was going to kill White. **

**Two emotions came from hearing Bella's words. Relief and disbelief. She didn't blame him for anything, but how could she? How could she not see that this was all his fault?! And he never thought he'd hear such strong words from his little Bella. How she fought against the urge to cry, and refused to give White the satisfaction of seeing her in pain. He'd never seen anyone like her. **

**White came up to her, yanking her chair back in the right position. She grunted, leaning the chair back. White was in the wrong place at the right time as Bella brought all her might down on his foot with her chair. He howled in pain, cursing her and clutching his foot. Edward even snickered lightly, watching Bella proudly. His eyes drifted to the woman who was watching him, amused. **

**Then White pulled his gun from the holster and aimed it at Bella's head. Her smirk never faltered. "You going to shoot me? Go ahead. Edward isn't going to come. He will never give himself up to you." Bella said. Edward shook his head. How could she think he wouldn't come for her?**

"**Then that is bad news for you, missy. Because if that is true, then you are better dead than alive." He growled, pulling back the hammer of the gun. Edward gulped. If he shot, Edward had very little time to make it to Bella without either getting shot. He wouldn't make it. He had to make a decision. Go now...or wait.**

"**Shoot me. I'll never tell you where he went. He has direct orders from me never to come after me. He thinks I'm already dead, so you have wasted all this time! And every second that passes, he gets further and further from you!" Bella exclaimed, laughing. She was bluffing, sure...but at this point, she had nothing left. She was going to die anyway....so she might as well help Edward.**

**Edward, however, realized what she was doing. But what she didn't know was that White was really going to kill her, and Edward was not going to let that happen. White stepped closer to her, and Edward stepped out of his hiding spot. **

"**Any last words?" White asked. Bella just smiled. **

"**See you in hell." She said, then closed her eyes. This was it. She was going to die. Her regret was never telling Edward Cullen how much he really meant to her. How much she really loved him. Maybe that would've changed everything. Maybe he would've stayed. Maybe he would never have left...but then again...after all this...she was glad he did. He didn't need to be around for this. He needed to be as far from White as he could get. **

"**Let her go." A low voice rang in her ears. She opened her eyes, alarmed. She heard, but refused to believe. Edward? Here?! No!!**

**White turned, looking at Edward with almost disbelieving eyes. The female almost smiled. Bella looked horrified. **

"**Edward...What are you doing?! Get out of here!" She screamed, fighting like a vixen to get out of her shackles. Edward looked at her sadly, then back to White. **

"**You have me. I'm here. Let her go." Edward growled once more. Bella gave up her fight against the metal with a huff, looking at Edward with disbelieving eyes. He was really here...**

"**Actually...now that you are here, we can kill her. We've been expecting you." White said with a smirk and a nod towards the female. The woman grinned and moved over to Bella. **

"**Little Bella...I think they call you. Want to have some...fun?" She asked quietly in the girl's ear. Bella growled and glared at White. **

"**Jessi!" White growled, causing the woman to look up and glare at him. "Don't toy around with her. Just kill her!" White demanded. Jessi pouted playfully. **

"**You take the fun out of everything..." She said, then smirked lightly. She put her hands on either side of Bella's face, ready to break her neck. Edward was about to pounce when he saw Emmett and Jasper making a break for her. White hadn't noticed them yet and he had the gun. Edward had only one option and he took it. **

**He was on White in seconds, grabbing his wrist and applying so much pressure that it nearly broke the bones. White cried out and dropped the gun. He stepped back, crouching into a fighting position. Edward did the same, waiting for him to make his move. Both were very aware of the gun that lay on the ground just between them. **

**Emmett made a beeline for Jessi, about the plow into her. But just as he reached her, he plowed into nothing. He stopped and looked around. The woman was gone. Jasper was racing to break Bella's cuffs. "Dude...where'd she go?" Emmett asked, looking at Jasper completely dumb-founded.**

**And right before his eyes, Jessi appeared from nowhere behind Jasper, kicking him in the back and sending him to the ground. Jasper hit the ground with a thud and flipped on his back, on his feet in seconds. He lunged at her, ready to strike when she disappeared. He flew right through where she was and crashed into some boxes piled up. **

**Emmett, however, had taken advantage of the distraction and freed Bella from her cuffs. She tried to make a beeline for White and Edward, but Emmett grabbed her arm. "No, no, little sister. You need to get outside to Carlisle and Esme. Edward won't be able to concentrate if he thinks you are going to get hurt." He said. **

**Bella fought him for a minute before realizing he was right. Whatever she had planned on doing would have to wait until later. Jasper ran to her, and motioned for her to follow him. **

"**Take her, Jasper. I'll help Edward." Emmett said, turning towards them only to be stopped by Jessi, who stood inches from him. He stared at her for a moment, unsure of what to do. The smirk on her face had him momentarily captivated. **

"**Going somewhere?" She asked, smiling sweetly. Emmett didn't even have enough time to think much rather move before she was on him, knocking him to the ground. **

"**Emmett!" Bella screamed, breaking free from Jasper's grasp and sprinting for them. Jessi was too busy punching Emmett to even notice Bella's approach. She tackled the woman off of Emmett with a tackle that was football worthy. Jasper and Emmett were on top of Jessi before she could even think of retaliating on Bella. Then, she was gone. **

"**How does she keep disappearing?!" Emmett bellowed angrily. Jasper grabbed Bella's arm and headed for the door once more. They got to the door and Jasper collided into someone, knocking them both and Bella to the ground. Jasper's instincts took over and he had the man on the ground with his face being smashed in the dirt before he realized it was Jacob. **

"**Jacob, what are you doing here? I thought I told you to get Charlie to Carlisle!" Jasper exclaimed, getting off him and helping him to his feet. **

"**I did...He's with Car-...Bella!" Jacob exclaimed, seeing her for the first time and pulling her into his arms. She hugged him back. **

"**Jacob...where's Dad? Is he okay?" She asked, her voice breaking. Jacob nodded and looked at Jasper. **

"**Jacob, get her out of here. We'll be right behind you." Jasper said. Jacob nodded and pulled an unwilling Bella from the building. Jasper and Emmett turned, looking for White and Edward, who were circling each other, blocking and landing punches. **

**Then Jasper hit his knees, buckling under the sudden weight of two people. He hit the ground with a thud and Jessi, who had tackled him from behind, catapulted herself from Jasper's back towards Emmett, catching him in the jaw with her boot. He grunted and fell backwards into the wall. Jessi turned back to Jasper, who was on his feet now and crouched into a fighting position. **

**A glance behind her told her Emmett was mimicking Jasper right behind her. She grinned. "Let's play." She said, disappearing and reappearing behind Emmett. Jasper pointed and Emmett whirled around, catching her by the hair. He gave it a good yank, then shoved her towards the wall. Before she hit it, she disappeared again.**

"**This is ridiculous! How are we supposed to beat her?" Emmett growled, turning to look at Jasper, who was caught up in Jessi's hold. Her slender arm was wrapped around his neck like a vice, cutting off all air circulation. He just watched Emmett with guarded eyes, trying to focus on breathing.**

"**That's the point, darling. You aren't supposed to." Jessi said, her voice low and sultry. Emmett growled and crouched down. Jasper, however, had another plan. He forced anger upon her. She hissed in his ear. He forced more and more anger onto her until she couldn't take it anymore. **

**She was so mad that she let him go, ready for a real fight. She didn't want to win on default...she wanted to break some bones. Jasper engaged her instantly, punching at her face. She easily sidestepped and grabbed his wrist, twisting until he was on the ground. Emmett came quickly, moving in for a tackle. She sidestepped that too, moving her feet under his feet.**

**He tripped and went head first into a metal cabinet. Jasper was behind her in seconds, kicking her in the back. She growled as she hit the ground on all fours, whirling around to face him. She lunged at him, grabbing him and tackling him to the ground. Once she had him pinned she laid into him, hitting him with punch after punch. He struggled, but was unable to free himself from her iron grip. **

**She heard Emmett's heavy footsteps coming at her, so she rolled off of the now unconscious Jasper and ducked just under him. He whirled around and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her into the air. She feigned choking for a moment, then twisted and brought both her legs up to wrap around his neck. He punched her with his fist a few times before the pressure on his neck made him let her go. **

**She was behind him before he could catch him breath, grabbing him and shoving him into the wall. He hit it hard before falling to the ground. **

**Meanwhile, Edward was getting the best of White. He had him on the ground, wailing on him with a fury he never thought he could end. The man under him was bloody and beaten, possibly even dead, but Edward couldn't stop hitting him. He just kept seeing him hitting Bella...and...**

**He hit him once more, then stopped, trying to decide if he was alive. He was barely breathing, but breathing. Should he kill him? Should he be allowed to live? His attention was directed to the loud crunch he heard. He looked up in time to see Jessi break Emmett's arm. He yelled out in pain, and then she hit him and knocked him unconscious. **

**Edward growled in rage, forgetting all about White and charging at Jessi. She looked up and smiled at him, standing over his brother's unconscious bodies. When he reached her, she disappeared. He looked around for her, spotting her as she reappeared behind him. Her thoughts gave away every move she was going to make before she made it, so blocking her was easy enough. Hitting her, however, was the tricky part.**

**Every time he attempted to land a hit, she would disappear. And with her body went her thoughts. Her thoughts never resurfaced til she did. Their ongoing assault didn't last long before it grew too annoying for Edward. Instead of waiting, he'd lunge. She overpowered him easily, knocking him to the ground and straddling him from behind. **

"**This...is going to be painful." She whispered in his ear. He knew without her saying that she planned to break both him arms and every finger. She was a dangerous creature, one who liked inflicting pain. She got off on it somehow. And the fact that she was a transgenic working with White was very unsettling.**

"**You have two seconds to let me go and walk away from all this." Edward warned. Jessi leaned in close to him and bit his neck lightly without drawing blood. **

"**Don't worry baby, I won't be the only one not walking away..." She giggled. She didn't have much time to bask in her glory, because Edward brought his head back into hers so fast it knocked her temporarily silly. She fell off and he rolled over and into a crouched position. She just stared at him for a moment, trying to get her bearings. **

"**Ooh....blood." She grinned, tasting the blood from her broken lip. She disappeared then, and reappeared closer to Edward. When he tried to strike her, she was gone again, appearing behind him. Edward sensed her there, but instead of feeling her intended attack, her thoughts disappeared and he heard a thud. **

**He whirled around to see Alice holding a tranquilizer gun, Rosalie right behind her. She was staring at Emmett. Alice threw down the gun and ran to Jasper. Edward snatched up some stray handcuffs and handcuffed the unconscious Jessi before she even had the chance to wake up. **

**Alice was successful in waking Jasper, who looked around bewilderedly. Alice hugged him tightly and kissed him three times. "I thought you were dead!" She exclaimed. He just chuckled and shook his head. **

"**You can't get rid of me that easily." He said, getting to his feet with her help. She clung to him tightly, letting the closeness be more than words for now. Rosalie, however, burst into tears when she couldn't get Emmett to wake up. Edward ran to her, along with Alice and Jasper. **

"**I can't...he's not...I can't..." Rosalie stuttered, her tears staining her beautiful face. Edward felt Emmett's neck, looking for a pulse. There was one, but it was very weak. **

"**Rose, get a hold of yourself. We need to get him to Carlisle." He said. She nodded, gulping and helping Edward left Emmett. The five of them dragged themselves outside into the street, looking around for the van. **

"**Carlisle?! Carlisle we need you!!!" Rosalie screamed into her comm.. Just as she did, a van came skidding around the corner, pulling up in front of them. But instead of Carlisle hopping out, several armed guards did, all rifles pointed to them. **

"**Whoa...there's just an acre of you fella's, now isn't there...?" Jasper muttered, putting his hands up. Before anyone could make a move another van came flying down the road. Edward saw the Esme was at the wheel. She drove the van right up on the sidewalk, gunning for the armed men. They saw her and started to scramble, everyone heading which-a ways. Esme stopped just long enough for everyone to get in and she was gone again.**

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**Author's Note**

**Sorry it's so long, twice as long as most chapters, but this is the last one before the epilogue. And then...it's over! =( I have had to much fun writing this, and I hope you had just as much fun reading it! Thank you so much for the reviews guys, they are the only thing that kept this book going. I appreciate everything. Thanks so much. -Mel**

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